The Fall Of The Dark Lord
by Anakin34567
Summary: Sequel To The Worst Summer And The Best Year,Harry has been living without Hermione for 3 long years.Ron will not let him commit suicide and his children keep him somewhat happy.When he gets a clue to where she might be being held prisoner, Harry sets off
1. Memories

**The Fall Of The Dark Lord**

**By: Anakin34567**

**Rated M: Sexual Content, Alcohol Use, Attempted Suicide, Violence, Strong Language, Detailed Nudity Reference, Physical Abuse, References To A Sexual Affair, Rape Reference, And Sexual Abuse.**

**Summary:**

**Sequel To The Worst Summer And The Best Year,**

**Harry has been living without Hermione for 3 long years.**

**Ron will not let him commit suicide and his children keep him somewhat happy.**

**When he gets a clue to where she might be being held prisoner, Harry sets off to France in order to save his wife that was long thought dead.**

**When Harry is offered help by a familiar stranger, will they reach Hermione?**

**When the final battle comes, what will be the outcome? (Ok idiotic question, the title answers that)**

**When a friend betrays Harry, will he have the heart to destroy the new dark lord?**

**Read the thrilling new installment in the Gift Of Life Trilogy, to find out.**

**Chapter 1: Memories **

**(A/N: I wrote this chapter before I broke my bad habit of caps locking every word see my first story so please just deal with one chapter of annoying every word caps, the other chapters won't have that)**

**He Missed Her. Every Day Was A Pained Memory Of How Much He Had Loved Her.**

**He Was Constantly In Pain And Misery. It Had Been Three Years To The Day, Since He Lost Her. Since He Woke Up Alone In Bed, To Find Her Gone. **

**She Had Been Kidnapped 3 Years Ago, And Harry Was Sure That By Now She Was Dead.**

**Hermione Was Still, After All This Time, Always On His Mind.**

**Harry Had Been Devastated When he Found The Letter From Voldemort.**

**He Had Loved Her, She had Meant More Than The World To Him.**

**Now, Three years later Harry Was Still Depressed About It.**

**Harry had Thought About Ending His Life Enough Times, It Was True.**

**But One Thing Always Stopped Him.**

**Whenever He held His Wand To His Head, As He Was About To Say Those Two Words, The Picture Of His Children Floated In.**

**Hermione Would Have Wanted Harry To Get On With Life And Find Someone Else, But No-One Could Replace**

**His Perfect 'Mione.**

**Harry Had Tried Looking For Hermione,**

**He Had Taken The Whole Force From His Department And Went In Search Of Her.**

**He Even Offered A 4,000,000 Galleon Reward To Anyone With Any Information.**

**Harry had Put Aside His Worries About Having To Murder Voldemort, He Was Now All Too Willing To Do The Deed.**

**At Moments Like The Present, When Harry Needed Closure, He Sent The Children To Hermione's Parents To Stay For A While.**

**Her Parents And Her Children Had Both Finally Accepted Her Death, A Feat Harry Couldn't Accomplish.**

**Harry had Tried More Than One Way To Kill Himself Over Those 3 Long Years Without Hermione.**

**The Most Memorable Was When He Was Going To Do It The Muggle Way,**

**Flashback**

**Harry Walked Out Of The Store With A Small Box In Hand.**

**He Walked Into A Dark Alley, And Flipped Open His Cell Phone.**

**He Rapidly Punched In Ron's Number.**

"**Ron Weasly" Came The Voice Of His Best Friend.**

"**Ron, You And Luna Take Care Of My Kids" Harry Said In A Hollow Tone.**

**Before Ron Could Say Anything Harry Flipped The Cell Phone Shut And Let It Fall To The Ground.**

**Harry Opened The Box And Pulled Out The 9mm Wesson 1056.**

**He Loaded The Gun And Removed The Safety.**

**He Hesitated A Minute Before Placing The Gun To His Head.**

**Suddenly He Heard A Crack, And Winced In Fear That He had Pulled The Trigger.**

**Then Ron Suddenly Appeared From Around The Corner.**

"**I Won't Let You Do It Mate, 'Mione Wouldn't Have Wanted It" Ron Stretched Out His hand, **

"**Give Me The Gun" He Said.**

**Harry Lowered The Gun, But Only To Take Aim At Ron.**

"**Damn It Ron, If You Try To Stop me I'll Kill You! I Swear I Will!" He Said, His Hand Shaking.**

**Ron Stopped Dead In His Tracks.**

**Harry Returned The Gun To The Position Near His Head And Squeezed The Trigger.**

**_BAM! _A Split Second Before The Gun Went Off, It Soared Out Of His Hand.**

**He Looked Back At Ron, Who Had His Wand Out.**

"**You'll Thank Me Someday" Ron Said Quietly.**

**Harry Slumped To The Ground And Leaned Against The Cool Alley Wall.**

"**Ron I Have No Reason To Live Without Her" He Said, Trying To Keep His Tears In.**

**Ron Knelt Beside Him, "It's Alright Mate, let It Out" He Said.**

**Harry Put His head In His Hands And Did, He Let Out The Tears He'd Been Holding.**

**Everytime He Cried He Felt Like He had Used All The Tears He had, **

**But He Always Managed To Generate More.**

**Ron Squeezed His Shoulder, **

"**Don't Hold It In Harry It's Alright, You may Have Lost Hermione But I'm Still Here" He Said.**

**Harry Gave Ron A Watery Smile, He Rarely Smiled Anymore, But He Smiled All The Same At His Best Friend.**

"**I Know Ron, Thank You" He Said.**

**End Of Flashback**

**Harry Did Thank Ron, The Moment He Saw His Children Again, He Thanked Ron Quietly.**

**Harry Was Suddenly Pulled Out Of His Memories By The Slamming Of The Door,**

"**DAD WE'RE HOME!" Came The Voice Of His Now 11-Year-Old Son Mark.**

**Harry Put Down The Picture Of Hermione He Had Been Looking At And Went Into The Living Room.**

"**You've Been Crying Again Haven't You Dad?" His Daughter Lily Asked.**

**Harry Nodded Slowly, "I Miss Your Mother So Much, But I'm Glad I Still Have You Three" He Said.**

**Harry Pulled His Children Into A Tight Hug, And When They Pulled Away He Smiled.**

"**I Still Have A Part Of Hermione In You Three" He Said.**

**Lily And Mark Would Be Starting Hogwarts In Two Weeks, And Anna Would Be In 2 Years.**

"**Did You Guys Give Your Teacher The Note From me?" Harry Asked.**

"**Yes Dad" Mark And Lily Answered In Unison.**

**Harry had Written A Note To Their Teacher Explaining That He Was Sending Them To Private School.**

**Harry Ran His Hand Through His Hair, And Remembered Something.**

"**Will You Guys Be Ok If I Leave You Alone For A While?" Harry Asked.**

"**We Should Be, Why?" Mark Asked.**

"**I Need To Go Somewhere, If I'm Not Back In 4 Hours Or If I Don't Call In 4 Hours Call And Tell Ron" Harry Said, Picking Up His Jacket And Putting It On.**

**He Walked Into The Kitchen, Popped Open A Drawer, And Pulled Out His Wand And Cell Phone.**

"**Dad, What's Going On?" Mark Asked In A Worried Tone.**

"**Don't Answer The Door If Anyone Comes, And Only Answer The Phone If It's Me, Ron, Or Luna" Harry Said.**

"**Dad, What's Going On?" Mark Asked Again. **

"**Nothing, Remember Everything I Told You, And Don't Be Afraid To Use Magic If Necessary" Harry Said, Throwing Open The Front Door.**

**Harry Shut And Locked The Door behind Him Before Apparating Into London.**

**Harry Pulled Out His Phone And Flipped It Open.**

"**831-2149" Harry Said As He Punched In The Number.**

"**Weasly Residence" Came Luna's Voice A Moment Later.**

"**Luna, It's Harry, Is Ron There?" Harry Asked.**

"**Oh Hi Harry, Hold On I Think He's Playing Quidditch With The Kids Out Back I'll Get Him" Luna Said.**

**Harry Smiled, Remembering Ron's Boyhood Enthusiasm For Quidditch.**

**Harry Waited About Three Minutes Before Ron Came On.**

"**Harry?" Ron Asked, "Mate, This Isn't Another Suicide Call Is It?"**

"**No Ron, I Have Something Very Important To Do, I Left The Kids At Home And They Are To Check In To You Ok?" Harry Said.**

"**Right Mate, I'll Just Send Luna Over There With Them" He Said.**

"**Ok, Thanks Ron, I'll Check In Every Four Hours Ok?" Harry Said.**

"**Right, Bye" Ron Said And Hung Up.**

**Harry Flipped His Phone Shut And Jammed It Into His Coat Pocket.**

**How Could Harry have Been So Stupid?**

**Wormtail Was In Azkaban, And He Owed Harry A Life Debt.**

**Dumbledore Was Right!**

**Flashback**

"**But I Stopped Sirius And Professor Lupin From Killing Pettigrew ! That Makes It My Fault If Voldemort Comes Back!" Harry Said.**

"**It Does Not" Said Dumbledore Quietly. "Hasn't Your Experience From The Time Turner Taught You Anything, Harry? The Consequences Of Our Actions Are Always So Complicated, So Diverse, That Predicting The Future Is A Very Difficult Business Indeed…. Professor Trelawney, Bless Her, Is Living Proof Of That…. You Did A Very Noble Thing In Saving Pettigrew's Life." **

"**But If He Helps Voldermort Back To Power-!"**

"**Pettigrew Owes His Life To You. You Have Sent Voldemort A Deputy That Is In Your Debt…. When One Wizard Saves Another Wizard's Life, It Creates A Certain Bond Between Them…. And I'm Very Much Mistaken If Lord Voldemort Wants A Servant That Is In The Debt Of Harry Potter" Dumbledore Said.**

"**I Don't Want A Connection To Pettigrew!" Said Harry. "He Betrayed My Parents!"**

"**This Is magic At its Deepest, Its Most Impenetrable, Harry. But Trust Me… The Time May Come When You Are Glad You Saved Pettigrew's Life.**

**End Of Flashback**

**At The Time Harry Couldn't Imagine When He Would Be Glad He Hadn't Let Pettigrew Die, But Now He Was Very Glad.**

**Harry Was Going To March Into Azkaban And Offer Wormtail A Deal.**

**Harry Apparated To His Office And Got A Permit To Visit Azkaban.**

**He Couldn't Apparate Into The Prison Itself Because Of All The Security, So He Apparated Into The Guest Entrance.**

**Harry Walked To The Guard And Showed His ID Badge And Pass.**

"**Go Right Ahead Mr. Potter" The Guard Said.**

**It Had Been Harry's Legislation That Removed Dementors From Azkaban And Put Hit Wizards In Their Place.**

**He Walked Into The Prison, Even Without Dementors, The Place Was Still Dark And Creepy.**

**You Could Hear The Prisoners Screaming Their Innocence.**

**The Only Place That Still Had Dementors Were The Heavily Guarded Cells, Like Pettigrew's.**

**Harry Walked Up 9 Flights Of Stairs Before He Reached Security Level A.**

**He Punched In The Security Codes And The Door Opened.**

**A Guard Checked His ID And Asked Who He Was Looking For.**

"**Peter Pettigrew" Harry Said.**

"**Cell X-3" The Guard Said.**

**Harry Nodded His Thanks And made His Way Down.**

**Z-9,Z-8,Z-7,Z-6, And So Forth Until He Reached X-3.**

**4 Dementors And 2 Hit Wizards Stood Outside Pettigrew's Cell.**

**Harry Showed His ID And The Guard Opened The Big Iron Door.**

**Harry Walked In And Lit His Wand.**

**Pettigrew Whirled Around.**

**He Was Different Then When Harry Had Last Seen Him.**

**He Was Still Short And Unclean, But He Was Thin And Had A Sunken Look That Had Set In From 2 Years In Azkaban.**

**He Fell At Harry's Feet And Started Blubbering.**

"**Get Up You Slimy, Filthy, Murdering, Scumbag" Harry Said, Kicking Him Hard In The Ribcage.**

**Wormtail Grunted, Falling Backwards.**

"**I SAID GET UP!" Harry Yelled.**

**Wormtail Hurried Up Off The Floor And Stood On Legs That Looked Like Jell-O.**

"**What? Come To Ruin My Life More?" Wormtail Hissed.**

"**No" Harry Said Coldly. "I Came To Save Your Life"**

"**What?" Wormtail Looked At Him Strangely, "Why?" He Asked.**

"**If You Can Tell Me What I Want To Know, I'll Let You Out" Harry Said.**

"**What If I Don't?" Pettigrew Asked.**

"**I Have Authorization To Use Unforgivable Curses On Criminals" Harry Said.**

**Pettigrew's Eyes Opened Wide In Fear.**

"**W-W-What Do You Want To K-K-Know?" He Stuttered.**

"**Number 1, Is Hermione Still Alive?" Harry Asked.**

"**The Dark Lord Said He Wouldn't Kill Her" Harry Could Tell He Wasn't Lying.**

"**Number 2, How Is She Being Treated?" Harry Asked.**

"**She Is Being Fed Once A Month, Watered Once A Week, Bathed Once A Month" Pettigrew Said.**

**Harry Wanted To Unleash His Fury On The Stuttering Man Before Him, How Could Anyone Treat His Angel Like That?**

"**What Are Her Comfort Accommodations?" Harry Asked, Dreading The Answer.**

"**When Not Being Used, She Is Hung By Her Wrists In The Dungeon." He Said.**

"**What Does That mean, Being Used?" Harry Asked Wrathfully.**

"**Being Played With By The Death Eaters That Have Low Morale, She's The Comfort They Have" Pettigrew Stuttered.**

"**YOU MEAN THEY'RE RAPING MY WIFE?" Harry Roared With A Fury he Didn't Know He Could Possess. **

"**That's A Way To Put It Bluntly" Wormtail Whispered.**

"**SHUT UP YOU BASTARD!" Harry Screamed.**

**Harry Couldn't Take It Anymore, He Needed To vent His Anger.**

**He Whipped Out His Wand And Aimed It At A Cringing Pettigrew.**

"**CRUCIO!" He Bellowed.**

**After 3 Minutes Of Pettigrew's Pained Shrieks And Screams Harry Lifted His Wand.**

"**WHERE IS SHE?" He Roared.**

"**A Small Island Off The Coast Of France" Pettigrew Said.**

**Harry Opened The Cell Door And Stormed Out.**

"**Let Him Go" Harry Said With Such An Aura, That No Questions Were Asked.**

**Harry Stalked Back To The Lobby And Apparated Home.**

**Harry Unlocked His Front Door, And Walked In.**

**Luna Was Sitting In Hermione's Rocker Reading A Book.**

"**The Children Are Asleep" She Said Without Looking Up.**

**Harry Sat Down On The Couch Across From Her.**

"**Luna Do You Mind Staying Here For A Couple Of Days? Or Letting Them Stay With You A Few Days?" Harry Asked, Pleading With His Eyes.**

"**No I Don't Mind" She Said, "Why?"**

**Harry Simply Answered, "I've Found Hermione"**

**A/N: Well I Hope You Liked It Enough To Keep Reading, I Know It's A Little Soon To Find 'Mione But It Takes Him A While To Find The Island, And Longer To Actually _Find_ Hermione.**

**The Suicide Attempt With Harry Was Based Off Something My Mom's Best Friend Just Did A Couple Of Weeks Ago.**

**And I Thought It Would be Good To Add The Life Debt Thing In There.**

**(Yes I Copied Word For Word From The English Edition Of The POA Book, Ch.22 Pg.426-427)**

**This Story May Not Measure Up To The First One So Far, But It's Going To Get Better.**

**This Story Was Originally One Of Those Stories Where Hermione Dies And Harry Finds Her Diary, But I Decided To Re-Write It As A Sequel To My First Fan Fic- The Worst Summer And The Best Year.**

**Sorry About The Caps Locking Every Word, I Won't Do It In The Next Chapter.**

**If You Read My First Story, I Got A Bunch Of Bad Reviews About Doing That.**

**Ok 1 Rule For This Story Please: NO EFFING FLAMES! OR I WILL NOT CONTINUE**

**Ok Thanks Have A Nice Day.**


	2. Pain

**Chapter 2: Pain**

**Hermione woke from another painful sleep, her body aching from the rigorous activities her body had been forced through yesterday.**

**She hadn't eaten in 2 weeks and she was ravaged by hunger, her hair was a slimy, sweaty, dirty mess,**

**And her bathrobe (the only thing she had been wearing at the time of her abduction) was in tatters.**

**Hermione was used to the daily routine by now, she had been following it for 3 long years.**

**Wake up, wait in the complete darkness for hours, get tortured, get raped, and go to sleep.**

**Then the next morning she would do it all over again.**

**Suddenly her chains released her and she fell to the floor in a crumpled heap.**

**While Hermione sat rubbing her wrists, the dungeon door creaked open.**

"**Hello my dear" Voldemort said with a cruel smile.**

"**Leave me alone you slimy son of a bitch" Hermione whispered.**

"**Tut, tut, I think you need to be taught a lesson Mrs. Potter"**

**Hermione was used to being tortured, it happened every day.**

**Voldemort raised his hand, "_Crucio"_ he whispered.**

**Hermione let out a bloodcurdling scream, as she fell back to the floor in a twitching heap.**

"**See now, if you watched your filthy Mudblood mouth, you might be treated a little better" Voldemort said after 5 minutes of torture.**

**Hermione lay whimpering on the floor as Voldemort left, shutting the huge steel door behind him.**

**After what seemed like an eternity later, the door opened again, it was Dolohov's turn to rape her today.**

**He walked in and strutted over to her, he kicked her and she rolled over.**

"**My turn dear" he said.**

"**Do what you want you filthy scum bag, Harry will co…" Hermione started to say but Dolohov smacked her.**

"**QUIET YOU FILTHY MUDBLOOD!" he roared.**

**Then he smiled, and his tone softened.**

"**Now be a good girl and take off your clothes" He said.**

**Hermione clutched her robe to her chest and scooted backwards.**

"**Fine if you want to get hurt more, I can arrange that" Dolohov laughed.**

**An hour later, Hermione lay moaning on the floor.**

**The pains that had been beginning to die down, flared up again.**

**And the only sound she could hear, were her own words ringing in her head.**

"**Harry will come for me"**

**She closed her eyes and tried to remember him, it had been 3 years since she had seen him, him and his breathtaking emerald eyes, and that gorgeous smile he always reserved just for her.**

**Hermione smiled at the thought of her husband, and her children.**

**How she longed to hold her children again, hold them and tell them it was all just a bad dream.**

**The thing was, Hermione was still waiting to wake up.**

**Harry walked into the small tavern in Nantes, France.**

**He had been told he could find a captain here that would ferry him anywhere he wanted.**

**This was a Wizarding pub, and Harry thought it looked a lot like the Leaky Cauldron.**

**The thing that wasn't like the Cauldron was, Men were fighting all over the place, the air was foul with the smell of heavy smoke and stale alcohol, and there were dancing girls on stage that were wearing almost nothing at all, Harry could just imagine the expression on Hermione's face if she saw them.**

**Dodging a body flying through the air, Harry made his way to the bar.**

"**Excuse me" Harry said to the bartender.**

**The bartender, a big and burly man, whirled around to face Harry.**

**He babbled something in French that Harry couldn't understand.**

"**DO-YOU-SPEAK-ENGLISH?" Harry asked loudly, carefully annunciating each syllable.**

"**Who wants to know?" the bartender asked in a heavy French accent.**

"**Harry Potter" Harry replied.**

**All the noise and music stopped, and every head pointed in his direction.**

"**Ze 'Arry Potta're?" someone asked.**

**Harry nodded.**

"**Well what d'you want monsure Potta're?" the bartender asked.**

"**A ship and a captain that will get me to isle De'Morroco" Harry replied.**

**Harry had thought the room was silent a minute ago, well now it sounded like a tomb, the only noise was his own breathing.**

"**Zat island is curzed, it onzy appearz during ze full moon" the bartender said, **

"**and no man is crazy enough to go 'zere"**

**Harry turned around, "Is no man here brave?" he asked, to no reply.**

**Harry sighed and reached into his robes, he withdrew a small leather bag and dropped it on the counter.**

"**There are 4,000,000 galleons in this bag, is that island cursed enough to deny you that gold?" he asked.**

**Again no one moved, after a minute Harry put the bag back in his robes and proceeded to the door.**

**Upon exiting the tavern, Harry felt a sharp pain in the back of his head, and knew no more.**

**A/N: Suspense, huh?**

**I hope you liked that chapter, Harry won't find Hermione until about chapter 4, and yes, there will only be 15 chapters in this story too. After I finish this trilogy, I'm starting another one **

**(After I finish I Love You, of course) **

**Harry finds her though and then kills Voldemort, though in an unexpected way.**

**Two people in the coming chapters make some astonishing changes too, one for good and one for bad.**

**My girlfriend always wonders why Harry has to go through so much pain, well as Van Helsing put it **

"**Pain lets you know you're alive" **

**After this story Harry won't go through anymore pain (Ok maybe a tiny bit, but that's Harry Potter For You)**

**Ok bye.**

**PS: Sorry those two chapters were so short, next ones will be longer, and if it takes me a while to update at any time on this story I'm sorry, I just got my drivers license and I am going to be busy this summer, I have to take my girlfriend to the mall every weekend.**

**(Guys ages 11-15 who have girlfriends, be glad you can't drive them to the mall, you have to carry all their bags for them, and it's a pain in the ass when they are clothes obsessed and try to buy the whole store of Victoria's Secret or old navy out, and it's really embarrassing going into Victoria's Secret, Sorry Felecia!)**

**However, I can't complain, I love her a lot, and I'll do anything for her, I'm head over heels for her.**

**(Will that make up for what I said a minute ago baby?)**


	3. The Help Of A Stranger

**Chapter 3: The Help Of A Stranger**

**When Harry woke up, he was lying on a goose feather bed, in what looked like a low class hotel room.**

**Immediatley Harry sensed he wasn't alone.**

**He sat up, rubbing his forehead.**

**Sitting in a chair near the door was a figure in a grey robe with it's hood up.**

**It said something in Russian, and Harry shook his head.**

"**Sorry?" he said.**

"**I heard your offer in the tavern it vas very generous, you must be looking for something very important on that island" the man said in a heavy Russian accent.**

**Harry nodded, "My wife" he said quietly.**

**At that the man perked up, "Did she leave you Mr. Potter?" he asked.**

"**No she was kidnapped, and I've tracked her here" Harry said sadly.**

"**Vhy vas she kidnapped?" the man asked.**

"**Because of me, she's gone because of me" Harry said, looking at his shoes.**

"**I shall help you, but you keep the gold" the man said.**

**Harry looked up quickly, who was this stranger and why was he offering free help?**

**Harry decided to ask, "Who are you?" he asked.**

"**My name is… Isandorf" He said.**

"**Well thank you Isandorf, I appreciate it"**

**Harry couldn't help thinking that his voice sounded familiar, but he didn't know where he had heard it before.**

**They left the hotel at midnight and Isandorf led Harry to the docks.**

"**Ve vill row out to vere the island is and ve vill vait until the full moon rises in 20 minutes, and then the island vill appear" he said when the reached his boat.**

**Harry climbed in after him, and they set off.**

**They couldn't have picked a worse night for sailing.**

**The winds were blowing far worse than Britain had ever seen, and it was raining crups and kneazles. **

"**HOW FAR IS THE ISLAND?" Harry yelled over the roaring winds.**

**Harry could barley make out Isandorf's answer, but he heard.**

"**-OT -AR" Harry took that to mean "Not Far".**

**The waves were tossing the tiny wooden boat around like a toy in the bathtub.**

**And Harry knew, they might never find the island, they might be lost at sea forever.**

**Suddenly a huge wave loomed up over them and in a matter of seconds crashed onto them,**

**Harry was knocked unconscious by the wave.**

**Isandorf fought the waves and swam over to him. He grabbed Harry and tried to keep his head above water.**

**It worked for a few minutes, but then Isandorf too, lost all consciousness and sank beneath the raging waves.**

**Hermione could hear the storm raging around the island, even through the thick stone walls.**

**She remembered that on nights like this, Harry would always pull her close and comfort her.**

**She had always been afraid of storms, but Harry always made her feel safe.**

**She cringed at a particularly loud clap of thunder.**

**She could feel it, Harry was close, he was still looking for her.**

**And he had found her, she just knew, it was the connection they shared.**

**It told her he was close.**

**Hermione knew Harry would never stop looking until he found her,**

**But she hadn't been sure if he could find this island.**

**After all it was charmed to be unplottable, and only appeared during the full moon.**

"**Where are you my love?" she questioned aloud.**

**Harry awoke to the sun bearing down on him, he had apparently washed up on a beach somewhere, he hoped it was civilized land.**

**Harry groaned and sat up, his back was aching and his legs were stiff.**

**He opened his eyes, and was met by an unwelcome sight.**

**Water, lots of water, as far as the eye could see.**

"**DAMN IT!" Harry screamed so loud that birds in nearby trees fled.**

"**You might vont to keep it down"**

**Harry whirled around, Isandorf was standing behind him.**

"**Where are we?" Harry asked.**

"**I don't know, but ve can't apparate, I've already tried"**

**Harry felt a wave of panic wash over him, "What?" he asked.**

"**An anti-apparition jinx has been placed on this island for some reason" Isandorf said.**

"**Damn it, damn it, damn it!" Harry muttered.**

"**Vatch your mouth or I'll vash it out vith bloody salt vater" Isandorf said.**

**Harry glared up at him, he still had his hood up, Harry hadn't seen his face.**

"**Take it off" Harry said in a menacing tone.**

"**Vot?" Isandorf asked, bewildered.**

"**TAKE THE HOOD OFF!" Harry said loudly.**

"**No, I don't…." he started.**

"**TAKE THE HOOD OFF NOW!" Harry bellowed.**

**Isandorf held up his hands in surrender,**

"**All right, all right" he said.**

**His hands glided up to his hood and pulled it down deftly.**

**A mane of thick brown hair fell out.**

**Blue piercing eyes, and a large hooked nose.**

**He looked like an overgrown bird of prey.**

"**_Victor?_" Harry asked in amazement.**

"**_Victor Krum?_" Harry hadn't seen him in years, aside from the world cup he had attended with his children after Hermione had disappeared, he couldn't say no.**

**Ron, who was England's keeper, had got tickets for them for the England vs. Bulgaria Game.**

"**Yes Harry, it's me" Victor said, blazing sapphire eyes meeting depressed emerald ones.**

"**Why did you…?" Harry trailed off.**

"**I did not think you vould vont my help looking for Hermio-ninny" Krum said.**

"**Victor, I would have accepted any help from anyone" Harry said.**

**Harry could see the tears welling up in Krum's eyes.**

**Quickly wiping them away, he said, "I am glad she found her happiness vith you" he said.**

**Then it clicked, "You don't still have feelings for her, do you?"**

**Krum looked away, "Apparently not as strong as you do" he said.**

"**Victor... I… Victor I'm sorry, but I love her" Harry stumbled over his words.**

**Harry could see the sadness in Krum's eyes as he turned around.**

"**Come on let's find a vay off this gotforsaken island" he said.**

**Harry smiled, "Let's"**

**They decided to split up.**

"**If you see anything shoot up green sparks, if you get hurt shoot up red sparks" Harry said, and Victor nodded.**

**Victor headed east, and Harry headed west.**

**After what Harry estimated was an hour of searching, he decided to rest.**

**He leaned back against a tree and looked up.**

"**What the bloody hell?" he said.**

**He saw something in the tree.**

**He debated for a minute weather he should send up sparks or not, and decided no.**

**He stood up and started to climb up the tree.**

**When he reached the thing in the tree, he almost lost his balance.**

**It was a skeleton!**

**Harry noticed light indentions in the left arm, where the dark mark had been.**

"**He was a death eater" Harry whispered.**

**Suddenly Harry saw a flash of blue, and lost his balance, he didn't know if he screamed or not, but the last thing he saw was the tree speeding away from him as he fell.**

**Victor saw a flash of blue light, and the shaking of a tree.**

**He was pretty sure he'd heard a scream too.**

**He waited and waited, for red sparks but nothing came, maybe Harry was too injured to send them up.**

**Victor decided to go look.**

**Being a Bulgarian assassin had it's advantages, Victor could move quickly through the trees without making a sound. If only he had his Firebolt, he could move faster.**

**But it seemed this island blocked any magic from leaving the island, so a summoning charm would be no good.**

**Victor had never been good in charms anyway.**

**He jumped into the next tree and kept moving until he reached the spot where he was sure he'd seen the light.**

**He jumped to the ground, and looked around for clues. **

**After a minute, he saw slight indentations in the ground where someone had obviously been dropped from a great height.**

**He then looked farther and saw tracks, as if someone had been dragged away from the spot.**

**He silently followed the tracks, they led to a cave.**

**Victor wasn't sure if he should go in or not.**

**After all, curiosity killed the kneasel.**

"**I haff to" he told himself.**

**Pulling out his wand, he walked in.**

**He didn't need to light it, he had been trained to see in the dark.**

**Victor crept through the dark tunnel, and saw no sign of light.**

**As he neared the back of the tunnel, it began to grow cold.**

**And that was saying a lot, considering where Victor came from.**

**When he reached the back of the cave, there was nothing, just a wall.**

**He figured there was a secret passage, so he lifted his wand.**

"**Open" nothing happened.**

"**Dissendium" Victor said, nothing.**

"**Lord Voldemort" again, nothing.**

**Victor was getting impatient.**

"**Dark Mark!" he yelled.**

"**STUPID DOOR!" He yelled, kicking it in fury.**

**A surge of pain jolted through Victor's foot and he suppressed a howl of pain.**

**He yelled something in Russian and tried again.  
Again nothing happened, and Victor was getting angry.**

"**DAMN YOU, DAMN YOU TO HELL!" Victor screamed.**

**He decided to try one more time, and he thought hard.**

"**Morsmordre" He muttered, and to his surprise, the cave wall slid open.**

**To pass the time, Hermione would sit and think longingly of the days she spent with Harry, she had been here three years, and had almost gone over 18 years of memories.**

**The 29 year old witch would sit and remember her precious Harry.**

**Flashback**

**Harry Led The Team To The Teacher's Stands And Dumbledore Presented Them With**

**The Quidditch Cup. Harry Passed It To Ron Who Passed It Down The Line.**

**And After The Victory Ceremony, He Walked, Arm In Arm With Hermione Back To The Castle, Waving To The Cheering Fans. **

"**I Could Get Used To This" He Whispered In Her Ear, **

"**Money, Silver Cups, Screaming Fans, And Beautiful Women On My Arm"**

**She Slapped Him, "Fine, Except That Last One" She Said.**

"**Hey Pretty Baby, I Was Talkin 'Bout You" Harry Said Defensively. **

"**Well That's Fine" She Kissed Him, And Got Scowls From Female Onlookers.**

"**Looks Like They're A Bit Jealous Baby" Harry Said.**

**She Smiled At Them All Sarcastically And Said "He's Mine Girls"**

**She Showed Off Her Ring, "See?" She Said.**

**The Girls Scowled More And Hermione Smiled.**

**When The Team Reached The Castle, Harry Threw Open The Big Oak Doors And Walked In.**

**Upon Entrance, Harry Was Met By What Felt Like A Tornado Of Noise.**

**He Waved Everyone Off, He Just Wanted To Be Alone With Hermione.**

**He Whispered Something In Her Ear And She Nodded, "Good Plan" She Said.**

**The Team Marched Triumphantly Back Up To Gryffindor Tower, Where Harry Ran Up To His Dormitory And Snatched The Invisibility Cloak From The End Of His Bed.**

**He Put It On And Crept Back Down The Stairs.**

**He Threw The Cloak Over Hermione And They Proceeded Out Of The Portrait Hole.**

**Harry And Hermione Snuck Into Hogsmeade And Had An Eventful Afternoon. They Stumbled Back Into The Portrait Hole At About Midnight, Both Slightly Drunk.**

**They Kissed, Separated, And Went To Sleep.**

**End Of Flashback**

**Hermione smiled at that memory.**

**She had been so proud of Harry in that moment, he had made a lasting impact on the school.**

**Harry was perfection, and she missed him so much.**

**He always knew how to make her laugh, always made her feel safe, and was always perfectly sensitive when she needed him to be. Yes, they had their difficulties, but Hermione loved him more than life.**

**And Harry was always there for her, even now, he was with her, in her heart.**

**She had spent the first few months in captivity waiting for Harry to blast down that dungeon door, release her, sweep her off her feet, and carry her home.**

**But that was just a fantasy, Harry would never give up on her she knew, but he would never find her.**

**But she could still hope…**

**Because that's what Hermione did,**

**She hoped…..**

**Those were her words, "I Hope…"**

**She was always, Hoping Hermione….**


	4. An Unlikely Ally

**Chapter 4: An unlikely ally**

**Harry again woke to a pain in his back, but it wasn't just his back, it was his whole body this time.**

**Every part of him ached.**

**He tried to move, but that's when he realized, his hands were chained to the wall.**

"**Wakie, Wakie, I bet you're aching" came a cruel, silky voice.**

"**Save it you bastard" Harry muttered.**

**Bellatrix came out of the shadows.**

**Harry looked bewildered.**

"**No… you're… you're dead… I killed you! I incinerated your body!"**

**She bent over putting her hands on her knees.**

"**Too bad… so sad… the thing is, people just don't stay dead like they used to"**

**Harry was puzzled.**

"**What the _hell_ are you talking about?" Harry asked.**

"**I'm not dead Potter, yet I'm not alive, I can't explain what happened to me, all I know is that I woke up after the battle, and I felt different" Bellatrix said.**

"**What do you mean _different_?" Harry asked.**

**Bellatrix took a deep breath before saying,**

"**I can't eat, I can't drink, I can't sleep, and I can't die" she said, "Oh I still get hungry, thirsty, and tired, but nothing quenches it, I'm in a living hell Potter, and I can't even kill myself".**

**She turned away and her shoulders started shaking, Harry had never seen a death eater cry.**

"**My master said he did it, and I hate him for it, I'm in hell because of him" she said, "he said I shouldn't use that analogy, he's been to hell and I have no idea what it's like, but I'm dying because of him, not only because of this either, there's something else he did to me"**

**Again, Harry found himself confused, why was she telling him all her problems, they were mortal enemies.**

"**What's that Bellatrix?" he asked.**

"**I… I… he made me… he made me…" she struggled to find her words.**

"**He made you what?" Harry asked curiously**

"**He… he… I'm… he made me pregnant" she broke down at the final words.**

**That was definitely a shock, but it made sense, even Voldemort couldn't live forever, he would need an heir.**

"**And you're not pleased with the honor of having his child?" Harry asked, disgusted.**

"**NO!" Her scream echoed off the stone walls.**

"**HE DISGUSTS ME! I ONLY JOINED HIM TO PLEASE RUDOLPHUS!" she yelled.**

"**Help me, help me out, help me and I can help you Bella" Harry said.**

**Her head shot up quickly and she looked at him funny.  
Then she asked, "What? why should I help you?"**

"**There are a few good reasons, One: I can help you, Two: I can make sure you don't go back to Azkaban, And Three: it's the right thing to do" Harry said.**

"**What do you want?" she asked.**

"**I want out, and I want to find Hermione" Harry answered coldly.**

"**I… fine, fine I'll help" she said.**

**She pulled out her wand and aimed it at the shackles that were chaining him to the wall.**

"**Alohamora" she said. They disappeared and Harry's hands dropped to his sides.**

**He rubbed his wrists where the chains had been cutting into them, and Bellatrix helped him up.**

"**The girl isn't far" she said.**

**Upon walking out of the dungeon, Bellatrix screamed and something collided into Harry.**

**He was knocked over and his glasses knocked off his face.**

**Harry felt around for his glasses and after a second found them.**

**He put them back on and looked up.**

**Victor was standing over him pointing his wand at Bellatrix's heart.**

"**VICTOR NO!" Harry yelled right when the words left Victor's mouth.**

"**RICTUSEMPRA!" Victor yelled, sending Bellatrix reeling backwards.**

**Victor looked down at Harry, "Vot? Vhy shouldn't I?"**

"**She helped me escape! She's going to help me find Hermione!" Harry said, **

"**Besides you don't just go around hexing pregnant women!"**

**Victor looked bewildered, "She's pregnant?" he asked.**

"**Yes with Voldemort's child" Harry said quietly.**

"**THEN VE MUST KILL HER!" Victor roared, raising his wand.**

"**NO WE CAN'T!" Harry yelled, pushing Victor's wand down.**

"**VHY?" Victor asked, exasperated.**

"**Because! I need her!" Harry said "Besides the baby won't be evil unless it's raised by it's father! And we'll make sure that never happens"**

**Victor nodded his reluctant approval and Harry helped Bellatrix up.**

"**Now, please tell me, where is my wife?" Harry asked politely.**

"**The last door at the end of this hall" she replied.**

"**Victor can you take her?" Harry asked eagerly, nodding at Bellatrix.**

"**Yes I can" was Victor's short reply.**

**Harry who had been supporting her handed Bellatrix to Victor and she cringed.**

"**Don't vorry I von't hurt you" he said smiling, and she nodded.**

**As soon as Bellatrix was out of Harry's hands, he took off down the hall as fast as his legs would carry him.**

**He came to the door in a matter of seconds. He tried opening it, but it was locked.**

**He whipped out his wand so fast that it fell from his hand. He picked it back up and aimed it at the door handle.**

"**Alohamora" he said quickly but clearly.**

**The door clicked and unlocked, Harry turned the handle and pushed the door open, slowly because it was heavy.**

**The sight that met him was almost unbearable, Hermione was lying on the floor in a heap.**

**Her clothes were tattered and she was scratched and cut almost everywhere.**

**Blood was crusted in her hair and she was breathing heavily.**

**But he smiled nonetheless, she was beautiful even like this.**

**He crossed the dungeon floor, his footsteps echoing off the stone floor.**

**He put a hand on her shoulder and she contracted in fear.**

"**Hermione" he said softly, "Honey, it's me"**

**She turned around slowly, and opened her eyes.**

"**Harry?" she asked.**

**Tears began to well up in both their eyes, and in the blink of an eye, they were wrapped up in each other's arms.**

"**God, I've missed you" Harry mumbled into her hair.**

"**My God Harry, It's been horrible, I… I…" She fumbled but Harry put a finger to her lips.**

"**It's okay Pretty Baby, I'm here, it's ok, it'll all be ok" He said.**

"**You don't know how long I've wanted to hear you say that" she muttered.**

**In that moment, Harry lifted her head and kissed her with everything he had.**

**He was complete again.**

**She was complete again,**

**Her fantasy had come true, Harry had found her.**

**When the kiss broke, she asked, "How did you find me Harry?"**

**Harry explained about Wormtail, and about the pub in France, and about Victor, and about Bellatrix.**

"**Is Victor here with you?" she asked.**

"**I'm right here" came a gruff voice from the dungeon door.**

**Hermione's head whipped in that direction, and she saw the first boy she had ever had an interest in standing in the doorway supporting Sirius's murderer. **

"**Victor" she said.**

"**Hermione" he said, nodding his greeting.**

**Harry turned her head back towards him, and enveloped her in another kiss.**

"**Why does that never happen to me?" she heard Bellatrix ask.**

**Pain, it was the only emotion Victor experienced when he saw that kiss.**

**Pain, pain was something he was accustomed to, but this was worse than any injury he had ever received from Quidditch or from his new job as an assassin.**

**He felt that his heart had been ripped in two.**

**There was no other way to describe it, pain.**

**Bliss, it was the only emotion Harry experienced when she kissed him back.**

**Bliss, bliss was something he'd thought he'd never feel again, but now he was feeling it when he was wrapped up in the softness of Hermione's lips.**

**He felt that his heart was swelling in joy.**

**There was no other way to describe it, bliss.**

**Relief, it was the only emotion Hermione experienced when she saw Harry's face.**

**Relief, relief was something Hermione had given up on ever feeling again, but she felt it when she saw her Harry again.**

**She felt her heart that had been shattered, piece itself back together.**

**There was no other way to describe it, relief.**

**Confusion, it was the only emotion Bellatrix felt when she saw the greeting they gave each other.**

**Confusion, confusion was something Bellatrix had been experiencing ever since the battle of Diagon Alley three years ago when she'd woken from the dead.**

**She felt her heart begin to realize that for years she had been wrong about love, this was love.**

**There was no other way to describe it, confusion.**

**Silence, silence was enveloping the room.**

**Silence, silence can be as peaceful as sensuality, or as loud and violent as a bloody battle, no matter how you look at it, silence is silence.**

**They all began to understand, they were drowning in the peace of, silence**

**There was no other way to describe it, silence.**

**A/N: Ok I hope you liked that chapter,**

**That was literally a very "emotional" chapter ending and I have no idea where the hell it came from.**

**I'm sorry it takes so long to update this story, but like I said I just got my drivers license and my girlfriend is a mall-a-holic.**

**And I do have a life that doesn't all consist of writing, (80 My Girlfriend, 10 Music, 10 Writing)**

**Speaking of music, I think you people can probably tell I like Vanessa Carlton a lot, I've used her a lot in this trilogy.**

**1 On the way to Kings Cross in my first story they listened to, A Thousand Miles**

**2 Their wedding song in my first story was, Pretty Baby**

**3 (Story not out yet) Hermione listens to A Thousand Miles in I Love You.**

**4 Later in this story Harry remembers he used to listen to Paint It Black during his depression.**

**5 Harry and Hermione listen to Twilight on their anniversary later in this story.**

**6 Harry hears White Houses at a mall later in this story.**

**Ok that about sums it up about how many times she's been used in my stories, you guys should really check it out**

**You can listen to clips of her songs on the Yahoo Artist Page.**

**Ok thanks to all who reviewed, actually thanks to all who read this far into the boring beginning of the story, it gets better from here on out.**


	5. Half Blood Memory

**Chapter 5: The Half-Blood Memory. **

**Harry, supporting Hermione, and Victor supporting Bellatrix they made their way out of the dungeon.**

**When they reached the stairs leading out of the dark dungeon corridor, a very unexpected sight met them.**

**Voldemort and at least a hundred Death Eaters were waiting at the top of the stairs.**

**Harry put Hermione down and forgetting all sensibility launched himself at Voldemort.**

**He collided with Voldemort's stomach and the two of them toppled over.**

**He was not aware of anything except trying to cause Voldemort as much pain as he could.**

**He could vaguely hear Victor and Hermione throwing out curses; he guessed she was using his wand as he had given it to her. Bellatrix was helping too.**

**Harry's fist collided with Voldemort's face and the older man grunted in pain.**

**After landing a few more blows on Voldemort, he was thrown off, and he landed about four feet away on the dungeon floor.**

**He immediately grabbed a fallen Death Eater's wand, and aimed it at Voldemort.**

"**What are you going to do? Stun me?" he laughed his high mirthless laugh.**

"**CRUCIUS MAXIMA!" Harry roared, the curse he had been experimenting with at work was finally going to have it's trial run, it was a Cruciatus curse but it was 5 times more powerful than the original.**

**Voldemort fell backwards screaming his demonized head off.**

**Harry's lip curled into a smile and he kept his wand on Voldemort.**

**Voldemort screamed and screamed and screamed, and Harry felt like laughing himself.**

**But suddenly he heard someone roar- "EXPELLIARMUS!" and the wand flew out of his hand.**

**A tall figure emerged from the shadows, and everyone gasped.**

"**Ron?" Harry and Hermione said at the same time.**

"**That's right Harry, I'm tired of you taking the spotlight so I decided to get some myself" Ron said, with an evil smirk on his face. Harry couldn't believe it, his best friend was on the dark side, then a thought struck him.**

"**RON IF YOU HURT MY CHILDREN… I SWEAR I'LL… I'LL…" He roared.**

"**You'll what?" Ron asked calmly, "You don't understand Harry, the dark lord has been training me for a year and you don't have an inkling of the power I now possess"**

"**A year?" he asked disbelievingly, "A year? YOU'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THIS FILTHY JACKASS FOR A YEAR? YOU KNEW WHERE HERMIONE WAS FOR A YEAR AND YOU NEVER TOLD ME?"**

**Ron nodded, "Harry I'm sorry I truly am" he said, without any hint of true remorse.**

**Harry couldn't take anymore, in a flash he grabbed his wand from Hermione and leveled it at Ron, who's eyes widened in fear.**

"**YOU ARE GOING TO PAY!" He yelled, But he couldn't do it. He couldn't say the words.**

**Victor calmly raised his wand, "_Crucio_" He muttered, Ron fell backwards off the stone steps holding his stomach, he screamed so loud that after a minute his voice had gone hoarse.**

**Victor raised his wand and left a whimpering Ron lying on the floor next to the filthy scumbag that was Voldemort.**

**Ron stood back up and Victor raised his wand, but Harry was too fast.**

**He raised his wand and thought "_Levicorpus!"_ Ron flew up in the air, suspended by his ankle.**

**Harry dropped him so that his head hit the stone floor and made a sickening crunching sound, Hermione winced but Harry wasn't yet satisfied.**

"**_SECTUSEMPRA!_" He bellowed. And the curse hit Ron directly in the stomach.**

**Blood spurted wildly from Ron's stomach and he staggered backwards.**

**He fell back on the floor with another crack from his skull, dropping his wand as he fell.**

**For the first time Harry was happy that Snape had invented that spell.**

"**I'M GOING TO KILL YOU RON!" He roared leaping on Ron as he had on Voldemort only moments ago.**

**In mid-jump, Harry was flung backwards against the wall and smacked his head soundly against it.**

**The pain in his head was nothing though, to the pain in his heart.**

**First Dumbledore died at the hand of Snape, then Snape at the hand of Harry, then Malfoy at the hand of Ron, then Ginny to the hand of Voldemort himself, and now he had lost Ron.**

**He had thought vengeance was easy…**

**Flashback**

**Harry soundlessly rounded the corner, following the billowing black cloak.**

**He could hear the older man panting as he ran.**

**But Harry didn't care, in his opinion, revenge was a virtue.**

**Harry opened his mind, "Expelliarmus" he thought.**

**A flash of blue light shot out of his wand and he hoped it had hit his target.**

**No such luck, Harry could still hear the muffled footsteps of his target splashing through the **

**water logged corridor of the dark London sewer tunnel. **

**Harry suddenly got an idea, he pointed at his shoes, "_Muffliato_" he muttered.**

**The sounds his shoes were making in the water suddenly stopped.**

**He hoped his target wouldn't think of the same spell.**

**After all Snape had invented it.**

**Harry was so lucky, anyone would have thought he'd drunk a bottle of Felix Felicis.**

**He could still hear Snape running through the water.**

**Harry knew these tunnels, and he happened to know that this corridor led to a large, circular, dead end.**

**As he emptied out into the large room, he could see almost nothing.**

**His auror training had taught him to see in the dark and it was only working a little.**

**Suddenly a flash of green light streaked toward him, and his Quidditch reflexes allowed him to duck in time.**

**The killing curse grazed his left ear and he felt blood trickling down his neck.**

"**SECTUSEMPRA!" Harry roared in a rage.**

**A blast of orange light erupted from his wand, but he guessed it missed, because he heard it hit the wall.**

**Snape was going to damn the day he killed Albus Dumbledore.**

"**So like you Potter," Snape sneered, "Always low grade work"**

**Harry's mind flew into a frenzy.**

"**AVADA KEDAVRA, CRUCIO, SECTUSEMPRA, AVADA KEDAVRA, SECTUSEMPRA!" Harry continued to yell out curse after curse, but none of them hit their target.**

"**Tut, tut, could have used more of the accuracy class couldn't you Potter?" Snape jeered.**

"**SHUT THE HELL UP!" Harry roared.**

**Snape's cold laugh reached his ears.**

"**SECTUSEMPRA!" Harry yelled randomly jabbing his wand all over the room.**

"**RICTUSEMPRA!" Snape screamed.**

**The spell hit Harry in the chest forcing him into a back flip.**

**Harry landed, sprawled out, on the ground, with an excruciating pain in his left knee.**

**Looking at his robes, he saw they were stained in a growing pool of blood.**

**He swore under his breath and stood, gingerly.**

**His left leg couldn't support him so he had to stand on his right, he didn't have time to heal it now.**

"**Stupefy!" he grunted in the general direction of Snape's voice.**

**Harry could tell he had almost hit him, because next time Snape spoke, Harry could detect a hint of fear.**

"**Losing your touch Potter?" he asked shakily.**

**Harry spun around and used another experimental curse his department had been working on.**

"**CRATORIUS!" He bellowed.**

**The next 25 feet beyond his wand suddenly exploded in a cloud of grey smoke.**

**The curse had hopefully not killed Snape, but at least knocked him to the ground.**

**He finally raised his wand, "_Lumos_" he said, and the room suddenly lit up.**

**Snape was sitting on the ground 5 feet from Harry, clutching a bloody ankle, face full of fear.**

"**YOU HALF-BLOOD TRAITOR!" Snape snarled.**

"**As I recall _Snivellus_, the last words you said to me were something along the lines of,**

'**I was the Half-Blood Prince' so aren't you a half-blood yourself Snape?"**

**Snape didn't answer, Harry raised his wand.**

"**Legilimens" he said, knowing Snape was to weak to resist at the moment.**

**Suddenly Harry felt as if he were being sucked forward, headfirst.**

**And he found himself in a large circular room with many filing cabinets.**

**Harry, who had been inside many other people's memories, knew just what to do.**

**Harry found the cabinet that was labeled with the dates of Snape's childhood.**

**He strode over to the cabinet and casually opened it.**

**He thumbed through the many files inside until he came to a file called "Hogwarts Letter"**

**Harry pulled out the file and opened it, "Remellius" he muttered, pointing his wand at it.**

**The file suddenly split at the seam and glowed yellow, and as usual, Harry was sucked forward into the memory.**

**Harry landed in a brightly lit room that he guessed was the dining room of the Snape home.**

**Suddenly a thin woman that Harry guessed was between the ages of 30-35 ran into the living room.**

**She looked around, as if making sure the coast was clear.**

**She reached into her pocket, withdrew a fine oak wand, and swished it at the table.**

**Suddenly three plates appeared, laden down with chicken, mashed potatoes, fried turkey, and many other enticing foods. Next came the candles. Two brightly lit 3-pronged candles sat at each end of the table.**

**And then the tablecloth turned from a checker pattern and blue to a lavish scarlet tablecloth with gold twining at the end.**

"**Severus!" the young woman yelled, "Come down, dinner's ready and your father will be home in a moment".**

**Suddenly Harry could hear the thundering of the stairs.**

**A moment later, a thin sallow-skinned boy with long, curtain styled black hair appeared in the archway that led into the dining room.**

"**Well sit down silly boy" the woman said.**

**Harry knew that the little boy was Snape and he guessed this woman must be his mother.**

**Snape did as he was instructed and sat with a sense of elegance that told Harry he must be rich.**

**Just then, Harry heard the front door burst open.**

**After a second, a very heavyset man that reminded Harry unkindly of his cousin Dudley walked in.**

**He plopped down in the chair.**

**Harry decided to fast forward the memory a bit.**

"**Elfatio" he muttered, and the memory picked up speed.**

**He let it resume normal speed when an owl zoomed through the window.**

**It dropped a letter on the man's plate of food, and he looked puzzled.**

**Severus Snape looked as confused as Mr. Snape did, but Mrs. Snape looked horrified.**

**Mr. Snape tore open the letter and read it aloud.**

"**Dear Mr. Severus Snape,**

**We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry,**

**You will find your school list, instructions and supplies included in the envelope along with your ticket to**

**Platform 9 ¾ where you will board the Hogwarts express on September the first.**

**Nitwit! Oddment! Blubber! Tweak!**

**Sincerely yours,**

**Albus Dumbledore**

**Defense against the dark arts teacher at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry."**

**No-one said anything for a moment until Mr. Snape spoke up.**

"**Barking mad that man is! Talks as if witches and wizards are real he does!" he said, **

"**Tryin' to get Sev' here to go to his lunatic school I suppose, by makin' false promises like 'is" **

**Suddenly Mrs. Snape spoke up,**

"**Tobias? May I talk to you in the sitting room?" she asked, "Alone" she added seeing Severus's look.**

**Tobias nodded and followed his wife into the living room.**

**After a minute shouts broke out, and Harry supposed that Mrs. Snape had informed Mr. Snape that Dumbledore**

**Was not "Barking mad" as he put it, but telling the truth.**

"**EILEEN! WHY DID YOU NEVER TELL ME?" Mr. Snape roared.**

**Little Severus got up and went to the door; there was a crack in the door that he and Harry could plainly see through.**

"**Because, I thought you would never understand…" Mrs. Snape cried.**

"**WHORE! I DON'T UNDERSTAND! YOU'RE A LYING WHORE! GET THAT HALF-BREED AND LEAVE MY HOUSE AT ONCE!" He roared.**

**She didn't answer so he slapped her.**

**She staggered backwards and fell over the couch.**

**Mr. Snape tried to make a flying leap at her, but a flash of blue erupting from Eileen Snape's direction sent him hurtling against the wall.**

**When he stood back up, he had a knife.**

**He threw it at her, and she calmly transfigured it into a rubber chicken.**

**His eyes widened and he leapt for her again.**

"**AVADA KEDAVRA!" She yelled shrilly, probably out of impulse.**

**Mr. Snape crumpled to the floor, dead.**

**Severus Snape had some time ago collapsed on the floor crying.**

**After a second, the door creaked open.**

"**Severus…?"**

**Harry ended the memory there, he had watched more than he had intended.**

**He felt like he was being thrown backwards and then suddenly he was standing over the real Snape again.**

**Snape's Eyes were wide.**

"**How much did you see?" he snarled.**

"**Enough" said Harry blankly.**

**Snape tried to make a lunge for Harry, but he flicked his wand and Snape flew back against the wall.**

"**Now, you're going to pay" Harry said.**

"**Evelopa!" he yelled.**

**Another new curse, it was the most painful death anyone could imagine.**

**Snape's skin melted off, but he wasn't dead he had to endure the burning.**

**So much pain that you can't scream is a big thing.**

**Next Snape's hair burned off and organs split apart.**

**After everything was off, Snape sat there a living skeleton, oh yes he was still alive, and now came the worst part.**

**Starting at his skull, all his bones began to crack, and from there down, they cracked and fell apart, until only a cloud of dust served as a reminder of Severus Tobias Snape.**

**End Of Flashback**

**Vengeance had been easy on Snape, but Snape hadn't been Harry's best friend for 17 years.**

**Ron suddenly vanished in a cloud of smoke, leaving Harry, Hermione, Victor, and Bellatrix to wonder.**

**Suddenly Voldemort laughed,**

"**This place will self-destruct in 12 seconds and we'll all die" he cackled.**

**Before anyone could stop him, Harry rushed forward.**

**He grabbed onto Voldemort by the collar of his robes.**

"**Guys, you can apparate as long as your inside these walls, Victor help them they're both weak" he said.**

**Victor did as instructed. "I'll meet you in London!" he yelled as they left.**

**Then he returned his attention to Voldemort who was still laughing like mad.**

"**Come on!" he said.**

**He began the process of side along apparition,**

**Everything went black. Harry was being pressed hard from all directions, he could breathe, he had gotten used to **

**Apparating now and it was normal. But it still felt as though his lungs were being blocked.**

**He landed a moment later in the back of The Leaky Cauldron.**

**He raised his wand, "ACCIO SWORD!" He roared.**

"**We're gonna finish this now" Harry said as the sword of Gryffindor zoomed into his hand.**

**Before Voldemort could react, Harry stuffed the sword into his face.**

**Blood sprayed all over Harry's arms, face, and robes but he didn't care.**

**Voldemort slumped down; the last horcrux had been destroyed, Voldemort was gone for good.**

**Harry incinerated his body and limped into the empty Leaky Cauldron.**

**Hermione, Victor, and Bellatrix were sitting at a table at the back.**

**As soon as Harry walked in the door, Victor stood up, Bellatrix beamed up at him.**

**And Hermione, Hermione rushed into his arms and buried her face in his chest.**

"**ILOVEYOUIMISSEDYOUYOURENEVERLEAVINGMYSIGHTAGAINANDIFWEHAVETOKILLRONYOURENOTDOINGITALONEIMDOINGITWITHYOU!" She yelled so fast Harry ad to ask her to repeat it.**

"**I said, I love you, I missed you, you're never leaving my sight again and if we have to kill Ron you're not doing it alone I'm doing it with you!" she said.**

"**Me too" Victor and Bellatrix said simultaneously. **

**It looked like the Order had two new recruits.**


	6. Welcome Home

**Chapter 6: Welcome Home**

**Later that day a press conference was held in the wizengamont room at the ministry.**

"**Sir?" asked one reporter, "what can the _Prophet _quote you on?"**

**To this Harry simply answered, "I want everything I say today released in press"**

**The reporters got their quills, ink, and paper ready to write down what Harry said.**

**Harry had been extremely careful to make sure that Rita Skeeter didn't get word of this conference.**

**And to his satisfaction, she hadn't shown up.**

**Harry began his story, taking breaks every few sentences to allow the reporters to catch up to him.**

"**I have some good news, and some bad news.**

**The good news is, that Lord Voldemort is finished for good.**

**But… the Wizarding community isn't safe yet. **

**Many Death Eaters still roam freely, and they will still be killing.**

**Bellatrix Lestrange has been cleared of all Death Eater charges…"  
Harry had to stop here because of a roar from the press, Harry held up a hand to silence them and then continued.**

"**She has been cleared because she turned to our side before the Dark Lord fell, saving my life, and the life of my wife who was long thought dead.**

**On another note, we have reason to believe that Voldemort has two successors. **

**The first one is a baby, I won't name the mother, for her own safety.**

**And the second, it pains me to say, is, Ronald Weasley."**

"**England's Keeper?" someone asked.**

**Harry nodded and then continued.**

"**We're going to begin hunting Weasley as soon as we leave this press conference, **

**As for the baby, we don't think that it's any danger unless Voldemort raises it, and he's dead.**

**Also on the note of Bellatrix Lestrange, you are not to treat her with any difference that you treat me.**

**She is now a member of the DML and is not to be criticized or ridiculed.**

**I think that's all except for a few minor notes that my secretary will be glad to fill in for you."**

**Harry nodded his goodbyes as he packed his papers, Lavender Brown rushed into the room to fill in those minor notes.**

**Harry excited the large room, hearing the buzz of reporters, and seeing Colin Creevy's camera going off.**

**As he exited the room, he linked arms with a waiting Hermione and led her to the atrium.**

"**We're going to have to tell Luna about this you know" he said, and she nodded softly.**

"**But first I have something to do, and you'll have to come with me" he said to another nod.**

**And after 3 seconds they had apparated to a huge mansion on the outskirts of London.**

**Harry banged on the huge front door, that was almost as big as the ones at Hogwarts.**

**After a second Harry could hear footsteps and, "No Celia I'll get it".**

**The doors swung open and a tall young woman with flaming red hair her head out.**

"**HERMIONE!" Ginny squealed, and flung herself at Harry's wife.**

"**Who is it dear?" they heard someone yell from upstairs.**

"**Harry Potter!" Ginny yelled.**

**After a minute someone could be heard trudging down the stairs.**

"**Come in, come in!" Ginny squealed.**

**Harry walked in and stood face to face with the blonde hair and icy eyes he had made enemies with so many years ago.**

"**Draco" Harry said.**

"**Harry" he replied, nodding.**

"**I see you found Hermione, we'll let them catch up and we can talk in my study" Draco said.**

**Harry followed him silently, thinking.**

**He didn't know if Malfoy could really be trusted, but he had delivered Snape to Harry.**

**And Ginny had married him, and he trusted her judgment.**

**Malfoy threw open the doors to his study, and situated himself behind a large desk.**

**He flicked his wand and a chair appeared, he motioned Harry to sit.**

**Harry sat down silently and looked at Draco.**

"**Harry you know I've been cleared of all charges…" he began but Harry held up a hand.**

"**It's not that, I trust you, I just want to ask you a few things" Harry said.**

**Draco nodded and Harry began.**

"**Do you know anyplace Voldemort might have hidden out, besides that French island I mean" he asked.**

**Draco shook his head, "Why, I thought you killed him" he said.**

"**Ron, Ron turned to the dark side, he's the new dark lord" Harry said.**

**Malfoy looked at him as if he thought Harry was joking.**

"**I'm not joking" Harry said, solemnly.**

"**Weasley, that Ron, Ron _Weasley_ is the new dark lord?" he asked disbelievingly.**

**Harry nodded slowly.**

"**Sorry Potter, I can't help you, but I can fund the hunt" he said, pulling out a checkbook, **

"**all expenses covered, how much you think your gonna need?"**

**They spent the next half-hour setting up funding for hunting Ron.**

**Harry walked out of Malfoy's study, shook his hand and called for Hermione.**

"**Coming!" she yelled and ran into his arms.**

**Ginny laughed, "Will you two quit acting like newly weds? You've been married for 11 years!" she said.**

**They just smiled at her,**

"**Now, now, Ginny, if I lost you for three years I'd be acting like that too" Draco said, **

"**I'm sure you two want to get home and er… 'catch up' so I'll let you go".**

**They said their goodbyes and then apparated home.**

"**KIDS I HAVE A SURPRISE FOR YOU!" Harry yelled.**

"**DADDY! YOU'RE HOME!" Anna screamed, and the three of them came thundering down the stairs.**

**When they saw Hermione, they stopped dead in their tracks.**

"**Mommy?" Anna asked quietly, stepping forward.**

**Harry could see Hermione's eyes welling up with tears, and he smiled.**

**She bent down and opened her arms, welcoming Anna in for a hug.**

"**MOMMY! IT'S YOU! YOU'RE ALIVE!" Anna yelled rushing into her mother's arms.**

**Hermione wrapped her arms around Anna and buried her head in her daughter's hair.**

"**Yes, it's me, I'm home, and I'm not going anywhere, ever again" Hermione said.**

**Just then, Mark and Lily rushed to join their sister in hugging their mother.**

**Harry smiled at the sight before him.**

**Hermione looked like she was about to start crying, and the children looked happier than Harry had seen them in years.**

"**Hey! Don't I get any attention? I just braved waves, skeletons, Death Eaters, and Voldemort himself to save your mom and I don't even get a hug?" Harry said.**

**Hermione whispered something in their ears, and they all stood.**

**Harry opened his arms for a hug, but then he saw the evil grins on their faces.**

"**What?... Hey! Stop it!" Harry screamed as they advanced and tried to tickle him.**

**He rushed up the stairs and he could hear the children hollering in hot pursuit.**

**He rushed into his bedroom, but Hermione had already apparated there.**

**He rushed back out, dodging Mark and ran into the hall bathroom.**

**He locked himself in, and yelled, "HA, HA! YOU CAN'T GET ME IN HERE!"**

**Then, much to Harry's bemusement, the door swung open.**

**Hermione was standing on the threshold with her wand out.**

"**Damn" Harry muttered as the four of them jumped him.**

"**HEY STOP!" Harry yelled through hysterical laughter.**

"**S-STOP! OH! AH! STOP! PLEASE! STOP!" He laughed.**

**Pretending they didn't hear him, they all continued tickling him, he fell backward into the large bathtub and all**

**four of them followed, never letting their hands leave his sides.**

**When they finally stopped, the children ran off to their rooms to avoid retaliation from dear old dad.**

**Hermione offered her hand to help him out of the tub.**

**However, Harry had other plans; he grabbed her hand and suddenly pulled her down on top of him.**

"**When's the last time you had a bath without a hundred Death Eaters drooling over your body?" Harry asked.**

**She giggled, "Can't remember" she said.**

"**Well we'll have to fix that, and cleanse you of all that filth" Harry said.**

**Hermione made to get up but Harry pulled her back down.**

"**No need to get up" he said.**

"**But we have to get out and run the water!" she said.**

**Harry shook his head, "No problem" he said, "Just undress us and I'll take care of the water"**

**Hermione undressed them both and with a few incantations and waves of Harry's wand, they were sitting in a lavish hot bubble bath.**

**Harry picked up Hermione's shampoo and told her to turn around.**

**She giggled, realizing what he was doing, and obeyed.**

**He squirted out a decent blot of shampoo and lathered it up in his hands.**

"**Time to de-grime your hair and make it silky and beautiful again" he said, applying the shampoo to her hair.**

**When he had finished washing her hair, she washed his and then the washed each other off with soap and rinsed, before Harry leaned back against the end of the tub and pulled Hermione with him, so they were in a lying position.**

"**Mmm… It's been so long since I've had a hot bath and since I've lain in your arms" Hermione said.**

"**Harry, it's funny, but why hasn't Dumbledore come to welcome me back yet?"**

**Harry tensed up at the sound of Dumbledore's name.**

"**Well 'Mione, the thing is… well… the thing is…"**

"**What?" she asked.**

"**The thing is 'Mione, Dumbledore died about two months after you went missing" Harry said.**

"**What? how?" Hermione asked, shocked.**

**And Harry began his story…**

**Flashback**

**Harry ducked, dodging a stunner.**

**Even after 4 hours, the battle was still raging all around him.**

**No one had any idea how the Death Eaters had gotten onto the Hogwarts grounds, all that mattered was that they were there.**

**And they weren't alone; werewolves, giants, and trolls were helping them.**

**Someone had seen the mass of black robed figures marching up the front lawn, and had alerted Dumbledore.**

**He had sent an owl to the ministry and requested help.**

**Harry put every auror under his command on the job and within moments, they were at Hogwarts.**

**Immediatley the battle had broken out, a Death Eater had made the first shot, and it missed Harry narrowly and enraged his men.**

**Beams erupted from thousands of wands and suddenly they were in the heat of the battle.**

**All able-bodied castle staff was helping,**

**Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick, Slughorn, Snape, and Vector.**

**Harry recognized some of the Death Eaters as they fell.**

**Harry was unsurprised to see Malfoy among them.**

"**AVADA KEDAVRA!" Harry roared and his curse hit a troll, knocking it over and squishing a werewolf.**

"**Yes!" Harry whispered, and proceeded on.**

**He dodged another curse and shot one of his own; "Veriverito!" a re jet of light erupted from his wand and hit a Death Eater that was about 5 feet away, the man turned into a bird.**

"**SQUAK!" It crowed, and Harry fought back a laugh, he had never tried that on a human before.**

**The battle raged for hours on end, with body after body succumbing to the oblivion of death.**

**Suddenly a voice hit Harry's ears harder than any he had heard that night.**

**It was a wonder he heard it over the shouts of the still raging battle.**

"**Draco… you are not a killer" came Dumbledore's weak voice.**

**Harry barreled toward the voice and stopped dead in his tracks.**

**Dumbledore was lying on the ground, defenseless.**

**Harry couldn't move and he wondered why.**

"**I can kill, I will kill you, and I will be exalted above all Death Eaters!" Malfoy whispered.**

**But then Harry thought he saw Draco's smirk fade into a frown.**

"**Who am I kidding?" he asked no one in particular, "I can't kill you, I can't kill anyone"**

**With that, Malfoy lowered his wand.**

**But then someone hurled into Malfoy, knocking him over.**

"**Child, always were weak!" a man's voice said.**

**Malfoy lay spread eagled on the grass apparently knocked out.**

**Suddenly the man thrust his hand into his robes and brought out his wand.**

"**Severus…" Dumbledore said hoarsely, and Harry understood, it was Snape.**

**Dumbledore's voice was full of fear, and that scared the hell out of Harry.**

**Snape jabbed his wand at Dumbledore, "Fool!" he cried.**

"**_Avada Kedavra!_" he whispered.**

**Suddenly the very air turned green, the jet of light hit Dumbledore straight in the chest, and he rose up off the grass.**

**His body was in an arc, as he gracefully flew above the Earth, everyone stopped fighting, and watched in amazement, as Albus Dumbledore said his last words,**

"**I trusted you" he whispered, before falling back to Earth.**

"**NOOO!" Harry screamed, and Snape looked up.**

**Harry tore over the lawn, tripping over the hems of his robes as he ran.**

**Snape ran, he ran for his life.**

**Harry followed in hot pursuit, "I'LL KILL YOU! YOU MURDERING FILTHY SLIME BAG!" Harry roared.**

**He raised his wand and tried to hex Snape as he ran.**

"**AVADA KEDAVRA! SECTUSEMPRA! CRUCIO! AVADA KEDAVRA!" Harry yelled out curses, but they never hit their target.**

**Death Eaters, trolls, giants, and werewolves who got in the way all fell prey to Harry's fury.**

**Harry felt as if an iron hand had clutched over his heart and the only thing he could think of was causing Snape as much pain as possible.**

"**STUPEFY! CRUCIO! AVADA KEDAVRA! SECTUSEMPRA! RICTUSEMPRA! AVADA KEDAVRA!"**

**Harry yelled as he ran, but he could not hit Snape.**

**Snape eventually reached the gates to the castle, Harry right on his heels.**

**Harry jumped for him, but he dissapparated at the last second and all Harry caught was a cloud of dust.**

**End of Flashback**

**As Harry ended his story, Hermione's hands flew to her mouth.**

"**We trusted him, _I_ trusted him! How could I have been so stupid?" she squealed.**

"**It's not your fault 'Mione, I tried to warn Dumbledore but he wouldn't listen" Harry said.**

"**So Snape's still out there somewhere?" she asked.**

**Harry shook his head and her eyes went as wide as dinner plates when Harry told her the story of how he had tracked down and killed Snape.**

**When he finished his story, they got out of the bathtub and dried off with the same big blue towel.**

**After Harry, finished dressing he got Hermione some clean clothes and helped her put them on.**

**When they finished dressing her, doing her hair, and brushing her teeth, Harry twirled her around in front of the big floor to ceiling mirror in their bedroom.**

"**See, you look much better now, good enough to eat" Harry said playfully.**

**They went downstairs to find Anna asleep in front of the TV and the twins playing chess.**

"**You two finish up that game and get to bed" Hermione said.**

"**Mom!" they both whined.**

"**Do what your mother says" Harry said.**

**The grumbled something to the effect of, "All right"**

**When they packed up the chessboard and left Harry started laughing.**

**Hermione smiled, "What?" she asked.**

"**You… You've only been back three hours and… and you're already being bossy again" he laughed. **

"**Excuse me?" she asked indignantly.**

"**Sorry" Harry replied, kissing her tenderly on the lips.**

"**Mmm… apology accepted" she said.**

**Harry nodded and smiled.**

"**Can you remember the last time I made love to you?" he asked.**

"**So long… can't remember... years no sex… fuck me" she whined.**

**Harry just laughed.**

"**SEX NOW!" she yelled playfully.**

**Harry didn't need to be told twice, if he waited too long she might hex him.**

**Harry picked her up and carried her up the stairs to their bedroom.**

**He laid her gently down on their king size bed and then shut the bedroom door.**

"**You might want to lock it and put a silencing charm on it" Hermione said with a slight smile.**

**Harry locked the door and then pointed his wand at the handle, "Muffliato" he muttered.**

**He then walked over to the bed and crawled on top of Hermione.**

"**Hurry Harry, I've waited to long to feel this again" she whimpered.**

**Harry nodded, and leaned down to unbutton her blouse.**

**Soon enough they were both naked, and Harry was leaning over Hermione, supporting his weight on his elbows.**

"**Beautiful" Harry said, while absentmindedly playing with her breasts.**

**She giggled, Harry smiled, "It's been so long since I've heard you do that" he said, nuzzling her neck.**

"**Harry" Hermione said.**

"**Yes my love?" he asked.**

"**Make love to me" she said, giggling again.**

**Harry leaned his head into her chest and brought one of her breasts into his moth.**

"**OH!" she moaned as he began to make gentle suckles here and there.**

**She started grinding her pelvis against her hips and groaning, Harry could tell she was getting restless.**

**However, he was not going to give in so soon.**

**Harry flicked his wand at the stereo and Vanessa Carlton came on.**

**He flicked his wand 3 times and it came to Pretty Baby.**

"**Remember our wedding song?" he asked, and she just moaned.**

_**You light me up and then I fall for you**_

_**You lay me down and then I call for you**_

_**Stumbling on reasons that are far and few**_

_**I'd let it all come down and then some for you**_

**Harry slipped himself inside her eliciting a delicious moan.**

"**Move" she said.**

_**Pretty baby don't you leave me**_

_**I have been saving smiles for you**_

_**Pretty baby why can't you see**_

_**You're the one that I belong to**_

**Harry began to move, experiencing pleasure beyond all pleasure, perfection was in his bed once again.**

_**I'll be the embrace that keeps you warm**_

_**For you're the sun that breaks the storm**_

_**I'll be all right and I'll sleep sound**_

_**As long as you keep coming round, oh pretty baby**_

**His gently moves began to get harder and faster, and Hermione's moans grew more frequent**

_**And I know things can't last forever**_

_**But there are lessons that you'll never learn**_

_**Oh just the scent of you it makes me hurt**_

_**So how's it you that makes me better, oh**_

_**Pretty baby don't you leave me**_

_**I have been saving smiles for you**_

_**Pretty baby why can't you see**_

_**You're the one that I belong to**_

_**Why can't you hold me and never let go**_

_**When you touch me, it is me that you own**_

_**Pretty baby the place that you hold in my heart**_

_**Would you break it apart, again?**_

_**Oh, pretty baby…**_

**And with a load moan from the both of them, they climaxed just as the song ended.**

**Harry collapsed on top of Hermione, and absentmindedly played with her hair.**

"**Welcome home 'Mione" he said.**

**A/N:**

**Ok I think that was definitely the longest chapter so far.**

**Just a little note, **

**I am working on a few projects that you might want to check out when they're finished.**

**I'm working on a fan-art Wedding Picture of Harry and Hermione.**

**I'm working on an Emma Watson fan Video- and the opening scene is **

**Daniel and Emma dancing, the song is Pretty baby.**

**I'll be hosting them on my website when it's finished.**

**It's a tripod website and I'm sure it will be pretty good.**

**I'm also working on a fan-art photo album that goes with this story.**

**I've finished a few of them,**

**Harry killing Voldemort**

**Harry laying on the bed at the hotel with "_Isandorf_" sitting at the end of it**

**Harry teaching mark how to fly**

**Harry attempting to commit suicide**

**Harry and Hermione at _Romancers Peak_**

**So when I finish the site I'll post them.**

**Hope you liked the chapter!**

**I'll post more soon!**

**I'm also working on a one shot prequel to the first story in Hermione's perspective.**

**(Well it's done I just have to post it)**

**Thanks to readers and reviewers alike, I'm sure you'll like this chapter.**

**The next one's going to be a bit dark, it's called,**

**Seed of Darkness.**

**Ok, bye! I gotta' take Felecia shopping now!**


	7. Seed Of Darkness

**Chapter 7: Seed of Darkness**

**(BIG A/N: THIS CHAPTER IS RATED M FOR GROTESQUE IMAGES) **

"**Bella… oh Bella… I'm coming back… there's nothing you can do to stop me! Your treachery will be punished!"**

**Bellatrix shot up in a cold sweat.**

**Was it a dream? Bellatrix looked around the room, trying to calm herself.**

**The voice had been clear as day.**

**She swung her legs over the side of the bed.**

**She was staying in the Potter's house until she could find somewhere to stay.**

**She got up from the bed and walked over to the window.**

**The night was pitch black.**

**No moon and no stars.**

**She shivered; it was a night just like this when _he _had brought her back to life.**

**She had spent the day at St. Mungo's and made a miraculous recovery.**

**She could eat, and drink now.**

**She also felt free and _good_ somehow.**

**The only problem was the baby she was carrying.**

**Bellatrix had decided to keep the child, she had always wanted a child.**

**But his child?**

**What would it be like, trying to raise the child of the most evil man to ever live?**

**And what about her dream? Was the baby really a baby? Or a re-incarnation of Voldemort himself?**

"**BELLATRIX LESTRANGE YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!" a loud demonic voice in her head sounded, and her Dark Mark began to burn, burn as it had never burned before.**

**She felt like she was going to be sick, she opened her mouth to try to scream for help.**

**But her voice wouldn't work, and then she really felt sick.**

**She opened her mouth and vomited blood all over the white silk sheets of the bed.**

**Suddenly the room started spinning, and then it started fading out.**

**She was convulsing now, blood spurting out of her nose and mouth every few seconds.**

**The room finally blackened, and she fell, she fainted into a pool of her own blood.**

**Harry heard a retching sound, and then a loud thump coming from the guest bedroom upstairs.**

"**Hermione, I'm gonna go check on Bellatrix, I heard something" Harry said, and she said something in a sleepy whisper that Harry couldn't understand, he was pretty sure it was in German.**

**Harry got out of bed and put on his robe.**

**He padded up the stairs and knocked on Bellatrix's door.**

**No answer.**

**He touched the knob, something flashed and threw him back, and he fell backwards over a chair in the hallway and fell down the stairs.**

**Harry swore loudly and rushed back up the stairs, wand in hand.**

"**Alohamora" he muttered, nothing happened.**

"**Hermione forgive me" Harry whispered, he raised his foot and slammed it into the door.**

**It crashed in and Harry walked into the room.**

**He lifted his wand, "Lumos" he whispered.**

**Bellatrix was laying on the floor in a growing pool of blood, and there was blood on the walls and sheets too.**

"**HERMIONE GET UP HERE!" Harry yelled at the top of his lungs.**

**Harry picked Bellatrix up and carried her down the stairs, he met Hermione half way down.**

"**What happened to her?" Hermione asked, feeling her wrist for a pulse.**

"**She's alive" Hermione said, even though Bellatrix wasn't breathing.**

"**Get the fireplace ready!" Harry grunted.**

**Hermione rushed over, "Incendio" she muttered.**

**Harry walked into the fireplace and Hermione threw a bunch of floo powder in.**

"**Saint Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries!" he yelled.**

**After being engulfed by the green flames and taking the familiar ride through the millions of fireplaces, he finally stopped at the hospital.**

**He levitated Bellatrix over to the main desk and told the nurse what was going on.**

**The nurse took Bellatrix up to a room, and told Harry he could come back during visiting hours.**

**Harry nodded his thanks and then apparated back to his house.**

**Immediatley, Hermione bombarded him with questions.**

"**I don't know how she is 'Mione, they wouldn't let me come up" Harry said.**

**Hermione went back to bed after a minute, but Harry couldn't.**

**He had to be at work in two hours, it was already four in the morning.**

**Harry watched TV for an hour, before going up to shower.**

**At 6:00 Harry apparated to the ministry building.**

**To his surprise, it was flooded with reporters.**

"**Harry, is it true about Bellatrix Lestrange?"**

"**Mr. Potter, what happened to Mrs. Lestrange?"**

**Harry waved all the reporters off and went to a fireplace.**

"**Auror HQ" He shouted, and soon he was locked soundly in his office, beyond the reach of reporters.**

**He worked for a few hours, before he heard a fight going on outside.**

"**Will you let me in?" someone asked.**

"**No! Mr. Potter asked me not to let anyone in" his guard said.**

"**He'll see me!" the person shouted, Harry could tell it was a woman.**

"**No one is allowed in!" his guard shouted back.**

"**I'M HIS WIFE FOR HEAVENS SAKE!" Hermione yelled.**

**Harry laughed and opened his door, "Dawlish, let her in" he said, still chuckling.**

**Hermione huffed indignantly and followed Harry back into his office.**

**He conjured her a chair and then sat behind his desk.**

"**Yes?" he asked.**

"**I wanted to tell you that Bellatrix is ok, as is the baby" she said, "and I also wanted to know if you wanted to eat lunch together" **

**Harry nodded, "That's good to hear, and sure I'll eat lunch but first I have to finish this paper, you're welcome to wait it shouldn't take long" he said, looking back to his work.**

"**What is it?" she asked.**

**Without looking up Harry replied, "An APB on Ron" **

"**Oh" Hermione said, and she was oddly quiet after that.**

**When Harry finished the paper, he gathered his things, and escorted Hermione out of the office.**

**He dropped the papers off with one of his men and they apparated out, into London.**

"**Where do you want to eat?" Harry asked.**

**Hermione looked like she was deep in thought for a minute.**

"**Oh I don't know somewhere quick and simple" she said.**

"**Pizza?" Harry asked.**

**She shook her head, "No Italian" she said.**

"**Subway?" He asked.**

"**Ok, sure" she said.**

**They apparated to the mall and went in at the entrance to Subway.**

**Vanessa Carlton's "White Houses" was playing and Harry laughed.**

"**Looks like she's getting very popular doesn't it?" he asked.**

"**Well she's brilliant!" Hermione replied.**

**Harry found them a booth, and Hermione went and got the food.**

**She brought back two sandwiches, two bags of chips, one large coke, and two chocolate chip cookies.**

"**Hon, I think you forgot my drink" Harry said.**

**Hermione shook her head, No I didn't we can share" she said.**

**Harry nodded and unwrapped his sandwich.**

**After they finished the main course and chips, they ate their cookies.**

**After that they made their way back out of the restaurant, when something caught Harry's eye.**

**Hermione had a little blob of chocolate on the corner of her mouth.**

**He was going to tell her, but thought to try something else. **

**He reached over and kissed Hermione licking away the chocolate.**

**He then pulled back and looked a her.**

"**You had some chocolate on you." He said innocently and Hermione couldn't help but laugh.**

**Then they kissed and went their separate ways, Harry had to get back to work and Hermione was going to go see Bellatrix.**

**Harry apparated back to work, and went back to the paperwork.**

**Harry had to file for extra security, because the elections for the new Minister of Magic were coming up, and Harry knew Ron would try something.**

**When work was finished, Harry decided to join Hermione at St. Mungo's.**

**He took the elevator up to Bellatrix's room, and saw Hermione sitting outside.**

"**What's going on?" Harry asked.**

**Hermione looked up from her newspaper.**

"**Bellatrix went into another spasm of convulsions and they think if it keeps up she's going to lose the baby" she said.**

"**Why?" Harry asked.**

"**Well… It's sort of gross, she puked up her small intestine this time" Hermione said, Harry winced.**

"**That's sick" Harry said, "What are they going to do?"**

**Hermione didn't answer for a minute, then finally she did.**

"**They're going in to get the baby now, they can't wait till it's fully developed, she's going to lose it if they don't do something, and they can't cure her, so they have to get the baby" Hermione said.**

**Harry chuckled, "Bet they wouldn't be trying so hard, if they knew who the father was" Harry said.**

**Hermione gave him a scolding look for laughing at a time like this.**

"**Sorry" Harry said.**

**They were quiet for the rest of the time.**

**After a bit, a little plump witch bustled out holding a baby wrapped in a blanket.**

**They could hear Bellatrix screaming incomprehensible words from inside her room.**

**After a while a witch came out, **

"**Mrs. Potter… Oh Mr. Potter I see you've joined you're wife, you two can come in now" she said.**

**They walked in, and the witch left them alone, closing the door behind her.**

**Bellatrix was anything _but _doing better.**

**She was thrashing around on the bed, screaming.**

**Hermione's hand flew to her mouth, "Oh my goodness" she said.**

**Harry pulled out his wand, "Harry! You can't!" Hermione said.**

**They watched, waiting for Bellatrix to stop.**

**She was hooked to an IV running a calming potion into her, but it didn't seem to be doing any good.**

**After a while, another healer came in, "Oh my, she still hasn't stopped?" he asked himself, not really noticing Harry or his wife.**

**He took out his wand, "yes tranquilizer spell should do" he said.**

**He raised his wand and made a few complicated waves, "_Desconis_" he muttered.**

**Bellatrix immediately collapsed on the bed, motionless, and quiet.**

**The healer bustled out, still paying no notice to the Potters.**

"**That's what I was going to do" Harry said.**

"**We should leave, there's nothing to see" Hermione said.**

**And holding hands, together, they apparated home.**

**The children were still at school, so they had the house to themselves.**

"**They start Hogwarts tomorrow don't they?" Hermione asked.**

"**Yes, and Anna starts private school, she stays all year round, except for holidays of course" Harry added the last bit at seeing the look on Hermione's face.**

**Harry and Hermione watched a few movies and then when the kid's got home, Hermione insisted on grading their homework.**

**All four of them went to bed early that night, they had already been shopping at Diagon Alley, and they had already packed their things.**

**Ron had taught Mark how to play Quidditch and Harry had given Mark his Firebolt.**

"**Take care of her" Harry had said, gingerly handing over the broomstick.**

**The next morning Harry and Hermione loaded the children's things into the car.**

"**Crookshanks comes back!" Lily yelled, chasing the old cat around the yard.**

**Lily had gotten her mother's cat only because she wanted it.**

**Harry had offered her a new one, but she wanted Crookshanks.**

**Mark had got a screech owl named Ares, after the Greek god of war.**

**Harry chased Crookshanks all the way around the yard before he finally stunned the cat and got it into the car.**

"**Ok everyone ready?" Harry asked.**

**Everyone said yes, so they set off.**

**When they reached King's Cross, they all got onto Platform 9 ¾ to see the scarlet steam engine.**

**Mark and Lily said their goodbyes and set off.**

"**BE CAREFUL AT HOGWARTS!" Harry yelled after them.**

"**DON'T FORGET TO WRITE!" Hermione yelled.**

"**AND GET ME A SOUVENIR!" Anna yelled**

**The twins waved out the window as the train set off.**

"**Our babies are gone, by themselves for a year" Hermione said, "Just when I get them back they leave" **

**Harry wrapped a comforting arm around Hermione and led her back off the platform.**

**Then they went to Platform 12 and got Anna situated on the train to her school.**

**Then, they apparated home.**

"**House seems big and lonely without the kid's doesn't it?" Harry asked.**

**Hermione nodded.**

"**Now I know how Mrs. Weasley felt when she let Ron go" Hermione said.**

**Harry stiffened at the sound of Ron's name.**

"**Sorry Harry, it's going to be hard getting used to this" Hermione said.**

**Then she buried her head in his chest and he wrapped his arms around her back.**

"**I can't believe him, are you sure he's not under the imperius curse?" she asked.**

**Harry nodded, **

"**The imperius curse isn't strong enough to make Ron act like he did" he said.**

**Hermione stared to cry, and Harry stroked her hair soothingly, all the while saying the only words that would come to mind.**

"**It's all right, it's ok baby, it'll be fine" **

**After a while she extracted herself from Harry's arms and wiped her tears away,**

"**I'm acting like a baby" she muttered.**

"**No you're not, you're just devastated" Harry said.**

**He led Hermione up the stairs to their bedroom so she could rest, she looked oh so tired.**

**He pushed the blankets up to her chin, gave her a quick peck on the lips and went back downstairs.**

**He plopped down on the couch and flipped on the TV.**

**A special news bulletin was playing.**

"**And the main story this morning" the reporter was saying, **

"**Downtown London is in flames this morning, an explosion rocked most of the southern parts of the city, and firemen can't put the fire out, although by far the most mysterious thing is the symbol floating above the wreckage,**

**it looks like a skull with a snake through the mouth; it looks like it's made out of green sparkling smoke.**

**There is no apparent cause for the explosion, no bomb shells, no gas readings or anything."**

**Harry flipped off the TV and scribbled a note to Hermione**

_**Mione gotta go, explosion in downtown London**_

_**Dark Mark floating above the wreckage,**_

_**Muggles getting suspicious,**_

_**Gotta clear things up,**_

_**Love, Harry**_

**He set the note on the island in the kitchen where she would be sure to find it, before apparating to his office.**

"**What the hell are you sitting around for!" he yelled at all the aurors that were at their desks.**

"**The Dark Mark is floating above explosion wreckage in Downtown London, we should have been there as soon as it happened, but I heard about it on the MUGGLE NEWS!" he yelled.**

**It took a few minutes for his words to sink in, and then suddenly the office was in a frenzy.  
Everyone was yelling out orders, "Get an obliviator squad!"**

"**Get a forensics squad over there!"**

"**Get the Dark Mark out of the sky!"**

**Then Harry interrupted, "Get investigators on the scene that's all we have to worry about, this is a job for the Department Of Magical Disasters And Catastrophes" he said.**

**Then he apparated to the crime scene.**

**It was horrible.**

**Cars were on their backsides, the street was split in two, buildings had been leveled, and sure enough, there was the Dark Mark.**

**The worst part was, Collin Creevy snapping pictures for the _Daily Prophet_.**

**Harry whipped out his wand, and aimed it at the Dark Mark.**

"**De-Morsmordre!" he yelled, a black wisp of smoke emitted from his wand and vanished the Dark Mark.**

"**HEY!" Collin yelled.**

**Harry grabbed him roughly by the collar of his shirt, **

"**You release even one of those pictures to the _Prophet_, and you'll find yourself snapping pictures of the inside of Azkaban, you hear me?" Harry said.**

**Collin nodded, fearfully.**

"**Good, because if I find any reports about this scene, your next article will be '_An insiders view on Azkaban_'**

**so get out of here" Harry said.**

**Collin started to walk away.**

"**Collin, you're forgetting something" Harry said.**

**Collin spun around, "What?" he asked.**

"**Accio camera" Harry said.**

"**HEY!" Collin roared as Harry set it on fire with a wave of his wand.**

"**GO!" Harry yelled, and Collin apparated with a _pop_.**

**Suddenly Hermione appeared next to him.**

"**Harry! You have to see this quick! Come on! St. Mungo's! The baby!" she yelled breathlessly.**

**She grabbed his arm and apparated.**

**They rushed up to Bellatrix's room, she was holding the baby.**

"**It's evil" she croaked, "Evil… Evil… Evil" she kept repeating it over and over again in a dazed croak.**

**Harry walked over and took the baby from her; she made no attempt to hold on to it.**

**He turned it around; he didn't see anything wrong with it.**

**In fact, it looked just like Bellatrix; it didn't resemble Voldemort at all.**

"**What's wrong with it?" Harry asked.**

"**It's evil" Bellatrix was still croaking.**

"**Hermione, what's wrong with it?" Harry asked.**

"**It didn't move at all while it was inside Bellatrix, it didn't cry when it was born, and it was a painless labor." She said, "It hasn't made one sound since it's been born, or moved" she continued.**

"**IT'S EVIL!" Bellatrix screamed, and then collapsed on the bed.**

**Harry let the baby down near it's mother, and steered Hermione quietly out of the room.**

**He turned off the lights and shut the door.**

**What Harry didn't see or hear, was that the minute the lights went off the baby's eyes gleamed blood red, and it made a hissing sound, that sounded exactly like a snake.**

**Ok that's chapter 7, this story is almost as long as the first one already and I'm only on chapter 7.**

**This story is so far 27 pages, the first one was 32 pages when it was finished.**

**This was possibly one of the most important chapters, as you will see in the upcoming chapters.**

**The one thing I have found in this story, is that I never run out of Idea's **

**I've got the whole story and the next one planned out.**

**And no matter how many stories I write, this trilogy will always be my most treasured piece of work.**

**I'll be sad when it's finished, but I'll be proud of myself too.**

**Because even though I got a few flames, I got so many good reviews and I want to thank everyone that has given my three stories that are out, good reviews.**

**I'm gonna stop now because I'm getting all sentimental.**

**Hope you like the chapter, please review!**

**The next chapter is going to take a while to write so you'll have to wait a little.**

**It might only take 3 days, it might take a week, I don't know.**

**Ok… I'm rambling again.**

**Again, thanks for all the GOOD reviews.**

**Anakin34567**


	8. Terror

**Chapter 8: Terror **

**(I am dedicating this chapter to Holly because she has been a very loyal reader, and reviewer, of both stories in this trilogy so far, though she needs to read my other ones I feel a great sense of gratitude towards her, because she had done nothing but praise my work, she stuck with both my stories, even their boring beginnings, and I thank her by dedicating this chapter to her, Thank you Holly)**

**The next week went over fine; Bellatrix was allowed to bring the baby home.**

**And it seemed to be a normal healthy baby (by magical standards that is)**

**Harry was busy at work as usual, and Hermione and Bella became very close friends.**

**Finally, it was Election Day for the new Minister of Magic.**

**The rules for election were,**

**The Heads Of Department were the nominees and were not allowed to vote.**

**The crowd of witches and wizards of ages 17 and older would vote on who, out of the seven department heads, they wanted as their leader.**

**Security forces were positioned all over the place.**

**Harry was sitting with the Delegation from the ministry and the six other nominees for minister.**

**On his right were the current minister, Amos Diggory, and some _Daily Prophet_ reporters. **

**On his left were the other department heads.**

**Albert Wilbur, head of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes.**

**Cuthbert Mockridge, head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.**

**Percy Weasley, head of the Department of International Magical Co-Operation.**

**Marietta Edgecombe, head of the Department of Magical Transportation.**

**Cho Chang, head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports.**

**And, Gerald Croaker, head of the Department of Mysteries.**

**Even though Harry was part of the delegation, he still had a job to do; he was still on the lookout, surveying the crowd.**

**Problem was, nothing was wrong.**

**Witches and Wizards all filed in to vote, and nothing at all went wrong.**

**When the vote was tallied, Amos Diggory looked it over, then went to the podium at the edge of the stage.**

"**Votes have been tallied!" he said into the microphone, "Here are the results!**

**In last place, Percy Weasly with 1 vote" everyone roared with laughter at this.**

**Amos went through the list and ticked off names one by one, till he got to the last three.**

"**in third place, Albert Wilbur with 260 votes" **

"**in second place, Cho Chang with 262 votes"**

"**and our new minister for magic, is Harry Potter, with BY GEORGE, 93,312 Votes!"**

**Harry almost toppled out of his seat, "WHAT?" he yelled.**

**Amos turned around, "Harry, would you like to step up here and say a few words?"**

**Harry rose on shaky legs and walked to the podium.**

**He adjusted the microphone and centered his voice before speaking.**

"**Well, I must say I'm flattered to think that I would get that many votes, honestly I was thinking Cho would win"**

**Harry said, motioning towards her.**

**People laughed and Harry continued.**

"**I never thought, never in my wildest dreams, that I would get this job,**

**but I have to say I don't want it, give it to Albert, or Cho, I love my job and I want to stay as head of this department" he said.**

**A murmur ran through the crowd, but Harry had made up his mind.**

**He loved where he was.**

"**I don't want to be the minister, I just want to be what I am, I like being an auror" he said.**

**Harry bowed slightly, and backed away from the podium.**

**Amos made his way back to the mike,**

"**Ladies and gentlemen, the law says that if the elected minister refuses position, then the second runner up gets the job." He said, "looks like our new minister for magic is Miss. Cho Chang!" he said clapping.**

**Everyone in the crowd clapped lightly, except those who had voted for Cho, they gave true applause.**

**After the election celebration finished three hours later, Harry apparated home, exhausted.**

"**HONEY I'M HOME!" Harry bellowed, forgetting that Bellatrix's little girl was in the house.**

**Hermione came bustling down the stairs, "Shhh… Rebecca's asleep!" she said, pressing a finger to her lips.**

"**Oh… sorry" Harry said, and then he leaned into Hermione giving her a peck on the lips.**

"**I was watching the election on TV" she said, "You did a smart thing, rejecting that job"**

**Just then, Bellatrix crept down the stairs.**

"**You would have made a great minister Harry" she said.**

"**Thanks Bella, but I don't want that responsibility" Harry replied.**

"**I'm surprised Ron didn't attack" Hermione said.**

**Harry nodded his agreement, "So am I 'Mione, so am I"**

**After a minute or two of quiet, Bellatrix broke the silence.**

"**Anyone in the mood for a cuppa coffee?" she asked.**

**Harry and Hermione nodded and Bellatrix swept into the kitchen.**

**Arry and Hermione seated themselves on the large, lush sofa and waited for Bellatrix to come back with the coffee.**

**Harry flipped on the TV,**

"**Wreckage in upstate London near the house of the well known nobleman Draco Malfoy…" Harry flipped the TV off before the reporter could say anything more.**

**He swore under his breath, getting a nasty look from Hermione.  
"What? It's not like you don't do it!" he snapped, and she looked hurt.**

"**Sorry" Harry apologized; he kissed her on the cheek and dissapparated.**

**This time as he walked into auror HQ, he was pleased to see everyone working.**

"**Southern Tunisia was just attacked by Giants" someone said.**

"**It's a global attack, we've got attacks in Bulgaria, Italy, Spain, America, and Africa" someone said to Harry.**

"**HEY!" He yelled over the commotion, "Can anyone tell me if the Malfoy's are all right?" he asked.**

"**Yeah boss, we've got it confirmed they weren't home when the explosion went off" someone said,**

"**But their house was destroyed, along with half the street, 15 muggle casualties"**

"**Damn" Harry muttered, "what about Dark Mark witnesses?" Harry asked.**

**Someone shoved a paper into his hand and bustled off.**

**Harry looked down, it was a crime scene report.**

**The Dark Mark above the Malfoy manor crime scene, was dissipated, though not **

**Before three muggles saw it, their memories were modified, and they were sent to **

**St. Mungo's for recovery from magical sustained injuries.**

**Harry discarded the paper, "Anything else I should know about?" he asked.**

**Someone rushed forward, "We found this at the crime scene sir" she said, pushing an envelope into Harry's hand.**

**Harry looked down at the envelope.**

**Harry Potter was written on the front.**

**He flipped the envelope over, the Dark Mark seal was fastened to the back.**

**Harry tore open the envelope and extracted the letter.**



**I am the lord of darkness; nothing can stop me Harry Potter.**

**I'm surprised you didn't take the job as minister, I made sure you won the election, but**

**I never figured a power hungry like you would turn down the job.**

**Darkness will forever rule the light, and nothing you can do will stop me, already I control every **

**Death Eater that lives, in case you didn't know, that includes every German wizard alive.**

**My army is more vast than any army you could ever create, Darkness overshadows light.**

**Thousands of Chinese, millions of Germans, thousands of British, and over half a billion Americans!**

**I wasn't stupid enough to try something at the election, with your guard there.**

**But from here on out you will not be able to predict my attacks.**

**Because they will come swift and decisive, and know, those who oppose me will be dealt with harshly.**

**I am sending this letter to you as a warning Harry, and to every other head of ministry in the world, as a threat, as a chance to join me, as a threshold for the new world I will usher in!**

**Sincerely yours,**

**Lord Xanatos, ruler of darkness.**

**Harry re-read the signature three times, Lord Xanatos?**

**Since when did Ron have a title?**

**Since when did Ron write letters like that?**

**Harry knew that as long as he was breathing, Britain would never join Ron.**

**But what if it did come to an all out war?**

**He would fight.**

**That was the only option, he would fight.**

**Harry gave the letter to the head of his forensics squad, I want it analyzed, and if possible, traced.**

**The man nodded and set off for his cubicle.**

"**OY! TONKS!" Harry yelled.**

**She poked her head out of her cubicle and looked around for Harry, who was motioning for her to join him in his office.**

**Tonks stood, and made her way through the throng of Aurors rushing every which way.**

"**Wotcher Harry, you wanted to see me?" she said.**

**Harry opened the door to his office, and motioned her inside.**

**Tonks was head auror, and Harry needed to talk to her.**

**He conjured her a chair and she sat.**

"**What're you gonna do boss?" she asked quietly.**

**Harry held up a finger, "Hold on" he said.**

**He walked to his office door and opened it, "OY! Ramsey, can I see that letter?" he called.**

**His head of forensics handed him the letter and Harry retreated back into his office.**

**He handed the letter to Tonks, "Read" he instructed.**

**Her eyes widened as she read the letter.**

"**Harry, you and I both know Ron couldn't have written that!" she said when she finished.**

**Harry banged his fist loudly on the desk, **

"**THAT'S MY BLOODY POINT! THIS IS NOT RON! I KNOW RON! AND THIS IS BLOODY WELL NOT RON!" He shouted, making Tonks flinch under his prowess. **

"**What are we gonna do?" she asked.**

"**WE'RE GONNA BLOODY FIGHT IF IT COMES TO IT!" Harry yelled.**

**Harry saw the look of fear on Tonks's face, and apologized.**

"**I'm sorry, just so many losses, I'm afraid Ron's going to get hurt, or hurt someone" Harry said softly.**

**Suddenly a pounding on his door hit his ears.**

**He flung the door open and got smacked in the face by someone's fist.**

"**WATCH WHERE YOU'RE BLOODY KNOCKIN' WILL YA!" He roared.**

"**Sorry" the young man squeaked, he looked no older than 17.**

"**What did you want so bad that you had to punch me in the face?" Harry asked.**

**He heard Tonks laugh behind him.**

"**Sorry sir, but I had orders to come give you a message from Director Wilbur" he said.**

**No sooner had the words left his mouth than Harry tore the letter out of his hands and ripped it open.**

**On it was a brief message.**

**Very regrettable incident, usually the American ministry would take care of this but there hands are full at the moment, renegade uprisings you know.**

**That big bridge in San Francisco, I forget the name, well anyway, it collapsed, and some reporter got a picture that we intercepted, you should see it.**

**Harry discarded the letter, and dumped the picture out of the envelope.**

**He looked at it for a minute.**

**The great Golden Bridge had been snapped in two, cars were crashing into the Pacific Ocean, and atop all the wreckage, once again, was the Dark Mark.**

**Standing below the bridge, on a little patch of land, was Ron himself.**

"**Damn it!" Harry yelled, "I gotta go Tonks, we'll talk later"**

**And he dissapparated with a _Pop_**

"**MRS. WAESLEY!" Harry yelled as he appeared in the kitchen of the Burrow.**

**After a second, Ron's mother bustled down the stairs.**

**Mrs. Weasley's hair had grayed over the last few years, and her age was starting to show.**

"**Harry dear!" she said, as cheerfully as ever.**

**Harry held up a hand, "Mrs. Weasley the nature of my visit isn't friendly" he said.**

**She suddenly stopped, "What is it?" she asked.**

**Harry sighed; this was not going to be easy.**

"**When was the last time you saw Ron?" Harry asked.**

"**Why? Has something happened? What's wrong?" she asked.**

**Harry sighed again, "Nothing's wrong I just need to know where he is" Harry said, Molly started to speak but Harry held up a silencing hand, and continued.**

"**Nothing is wrong with Ron, Molly this is going to be kind of hard on you, so please sit down" he said.**

**Molly pulled up a chair, and Harry pulled one up for himself, they both sat and Harry went on.**

"**The attacks that have been happening all over, those are connected Molly; they aren't just random attacks by different organizations. Yes Voldemort is dead…" she flinched and Harry continued,**

"**But a new Dark Lord has risen, and he's rallied more support than You-Know-Who ever even dreamed of, read this" Harry handed her Ron's letter.**

**She read and gasped, "Who…What is he?" she asked.**

**Harry handed Molly the picture, "Ron" he said simply.**

**She looked at the picture and gasped, "How could he?" she asked, before laying her head on the counter and bursting into sobs.**

**Harry laid his hand on her shoulder but she shook it off.**

**Harry took this as a sign that she wanted to be left alone, so he left.**

"**HONEY I'M HOME!" He yelled.**

**Harry knew what he had to do, and he was going to do it.**

**Hermione rushed into the living room and gave him a kiss.**

**She must have sensed his tension because she asked him what was wrong.**

"**I've got to leave for a few days" was his only answer.**

**He leapt up the stairs, three at a time and bounded into his bedroom.**

**He summoned a traveling bag.**

**He loaded some clothes, his cell phone, his laptop, his toiletries, a big bag of gold, and everything else he needed.**

"**Where are you going?" she asked as he slung his bag over his shoulder.**

"**To America" he said, handing her the picture of Ron, and his letter.**

"**Oh my gosh" she whispered, "you can't go alone" **

**Harry shook his head, "I'm not" he said, he kissed her goodbye and apparated back to his office.**

"**TONKS, RAMSEY, DRAKE, STROKER, CARPATHIS, STONE! YOU'RE COMING WITH ME!" Harry yelled.**

**No questions were asked as he instructed them on which airport to apparate to.**

**Harry followed and apparated to the airport where they would buy tickets.**

**Ok, I'm gonna write a short authors note here, I just want to thank all my readers and reviewers,**

**(Especially Holly!) **

**I'm sorry I haven't been writing a lot, Felecia had a car accident Friday night, and I've been at the hospital with her every day for as long as they would let me stay (she's ok) I brought my laptop with me and typed a little, but I just wasn't up to writing, seeing her like that.**

**She broke her leg and four ribs.**

**She got out today, so I wrote a little more, hope you like.**

**In addition, to Holly, you have a surprise coming in the next chapter.**


	9. San Francisco

**Chapter 9: San Francisco**

_**I… I know what you did, like a boy of summer gives his first kiss.**_

_**Love is dancing on my finger,**_

_**He got to the heart of the matter and lingered.**_

_**Now I'm walking with a living**_

_**I always like Steinbeck and those old men whistling.**_

**Harry accepted a glass of expensive champagne from the flight attendant as that song ran through his head, Hermione was right, Vanessa Carlton was brilliant, especially for being a muggle.**

_**We're back, We're back in San Francisco,**_

_**We're back and you tell me I am home**_

**Harry already missed Hermione, it was too late to call her, so he didn't bother.**

_**Talking in the mission over coffee**_

_**This is my utopia, Man I'll be your lady**_

_**As the ocean rises and the sun is fading**_

**He looked around, all his men were asleep, it was early morning, or late night, whatever you want to say.**

**He booted up his laptop, and got online to check the news.**

_**We're back, we're back in San Francisco **_

_**We're back, we're back in San Francisco **_

_**We're back, we're back in San Fran…**_

**Nothing new, Ron must be lying low for now.**

_**And now, I feel the ever after,**_

_**Over red wine on the eve of summer**_

_**The buzz, the buzz of the city as we settle in it's majesty**_

_**I… I know what you did, in San Francisco…….. **_

**Harry nodded off to sleep in a few minutes, his laptop still on and poised on his lap.**

**After a few hours, Harry was shaken awake by an overeager Tonks**

"**We're here! Come on! I wanna go shoppin' I've never been to the states before!" she cried, shaking Harry violently.**

"**OK!" He yelled when he was awake.**

**Being first class passengers, they were allowed to exit the plane first.**

**San Francisco International Airport was by far the biggest airport Harry had ever been to.**

**Harry saw TV's everywhere, playing thousands of shows, from Blue's Clue's to Summerland.**

**The American Ministry had sent them a limo to escort them back to the Ministry building.**

**Harry had been to the American ministry building before, there was a place in every city that linked into the same building, the building itself was in New York city.**

**When they reached the alley where they could access the building, everyone but the driver piled out.**

**Harry walked to where the archway should be, "Gobbledygook" he said, and the archway opened slowly.**

**Harry entered the busy atrium.**

**It looked a lot like the atrium in London, except that instead of the fountain of magical brethren, there was a large statue of Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, And John. F. Kennedy.**

**Large American flags were hanging from the ceiling, and witches and wizards were bustling around everywhere, shouting and yelling.**

**The normally calm ministry building, was in utter chaos.**

"'**Scuse me sir" someone said as they rushed past.**

**Harry led his party of aurors to the large desk in the center of the room.**

"**Excuse me, sir," he said to the man sitting there, "I have a meeting with the President"**

**The man looked up, "Name?" he asked.**

"**Harry Potter" Harry said, all the chaos stopped.**

"**By George, are you really?" the man asked, his eyes flicking upwards at Harry's scar.**

**Harry nodded, and pointed to the register, "My meeting" he said.**

"**Oh! Oh right!" the man said, fumbling around with the register.**

**He pressed a button on his intercom, "Mr. Harry Potter to see President Alexander" he said.**

"**Send him in" someone replied over the intercom.**

"**We need one of those in Britain" Tonks said.**

**Harry shushed her and followed the man to a set of stairs.**

**He led them down into a brightly lit Dungeon, ending in a solid oak door.**

**He knocked on the door three times before someone told him to come in.**

**He opened the door and motioned Harry inside.**

"**You'll have to wait here" he said to Tonks.**

**Carpathia and Stone tried to get through anyway, "We're his bodyguards" they said.**

"**No-one is allowed…" he was silenced by a glare from Carpathia.**

"**It's ok guys, no-ones going to attack me here" Harry said and Stone nodded.**

**The man shut the door and Harry sat down across from President Alexander.**

"**You wanted to see me Potter? Said it was urgent?" he said.**

**Harry decided to get straight to the point.**

"**I have a warrant to arrest a Ronald Weasley, he is the cause for the fall of the Golden Gate bridge, we have the floo and apparition networks being highly monitored, he hasn't left your country" **

**The President folded his hands and leaned on his handsome oak desk.**

"**How can you be sure he didn't take a plane or ship, or a broom?" Alexander asked.**

"**As for plane and ships, our intelligence sources are watching the ticket market, and if anyone flew a broom out of here, we'd know, the sky's are being monitored as well, Ron flew here under his own name, but never left" Harry replied curtly. **

"**And this has to do with me why?" the President asked.**

**Harry shook his head, **

"**It doesn't really, but if we have to deal with anything in a foreign country, we have to notify the leader of that nation's magical populous" he said.**

**Alexander nodded, "You have notified me, I trust you have all your living arrangements set up, and how long will you be here?" he said.**

**Harry shook his head again, "Yes we have a hotel," he said, "as for our time, I have no idea, could be a week, could be a couple of months, but I know Ron he'll be easy to track"**

**Harry stood up, bowed slightly, and swept out of the office wordlessly.**

**Tonks, Ramsey, Drake, Stroker, Carpathia, and Stone, fell in to step behind him.**

**They quietly made their way out of the building and apparated to the **

**5 star wizarding hotel they would be staying in.**

**Harry had wanted to minimize the expense of the trip, but Tonks _had_ to have the best they could get, first class plane tickets, five star hotels, limo's.**

**Who knows what else she would get, after all, she wanted to do some serious shopping.**

**As they walked into _Frisco's Finest_, Harry had a deep impression of the Burrow.**

**It was very clean, very HUGE, and very _Magical_.**

**Tonks gasped, "holy cricket" she said.**

**Harry knew Hermione would love this place.**

**A receptionist greeted them and showed them to their rooms, they all got separate rooms.**

**Harry's was connected to Tonks's by a door near the restroom.**

**It was marvelous, the room had a huge double water bed, there were 3 shelves above the bed head, it had it's own bathroom with a walk in shower.**

**Beside the door to Tonks's room was a large, handsome, dark oak entertainment center complete with a DVD player, accompanied by a library of DVD's.**

**Harry saw some of his favorites such as, _Troy, Van Helsing, The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, Pirates Of The Caribbean, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Star wars Episode III,_ and a few others.**

**On the left side of the bed was a rich, ornate, red plush rug sitting before a large brick fireplace.**

**There was a small tin sitting on top of the fireplace mantle, upon opening it; Harry saw that it contained a decent amount of floo powder, that was convenient.**

**A large bookshelf was on the right side of the bed, it contained novels, magazines, cookbooks, TV guides, and many other kinds.**

**On the far right wall, there was another door; Harry opened the door to find that it led into a small kitchen complete with all appliances and a mini-bar.**

**Harry left the kitchen in amazement, this was better than the flat he and Hermione had shared so many years ago.**

**Harry smiled at the memory of those years, when they were without a care in the world, and the only thing that had mattered was their love.**

**Harry was brought out of his reverie by the banging open of the door between his and Tonks's room.**

"**This place is wicked boss!" she shouted.**

**Tonks had a tendency to shout when she was excited and not notice she was shouting, Harry frequently had to remind her to keep her voice down, but this was an exception.**

**As Harry looked around the blue papered room with it's fine woven carpets and exquisite design, he had to agree with her.**

"**This is amazing" he said.**

"**Bloody right it is!" she said, "oh I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go to a concert with me, you're the only one here who likes music besides me" she said.**

"**Muggle or magic?" Harry asked, deciding that they had enough time.**

"**Muggle, it's that artist that Hermione likes a lot, wha's her name? Vanessa Carlton?" Tonks said.**

**Harry liked the prospect of that, he wanted to get a souvenir for Hermione, and an autograph from her favorite musician would be perfect.**

"**Maybe Tonks, I'll check my schedule" he said. **

**Hermione calmly strode into the house after a long day of job hunting, now that the children were off to school, she had decided to give modeling another chance, for pure recreation.**

**She didn't _need_ a job but she _wanted_ a job.**

**She had gone to her old agency and reinstated herself.**

**Her work was to start tomorrow, and that was just photo shoots for a portfolio.**

**She flung most of the mail unceremoniously onto the counter, before tearing open Mark's letter.**

_**Dear Mum and Dad,**_

_**My first week at school is going great.**_

_**I'm In Gryffindor!**_

_**I've already made a very good friend, she's a girl and she's really smart.**_

_**Just like you Mum, her name's Holly, she's really nice, and she helps me in my classes.**_

_**I'm not so good at Transfiguration, but I'm good with everything else.**_

_**My best subjects are Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions.**_

_**I'm ok at charms, but they're not really my strong suit.**_

_**Oh yeah! Dad I made the Quidditch team! Seeker just like you! I already won the first game of the season!**_

_**The Firebolt's awesome; I've never flown a broom like it before!**_

_**Draco and Ginny's daughter Riley is not very nice, she got into Slytherin.**_

_**Of course, that didn't stop Lily from being friends with her, those two are inseparable!**_

_**Gotta go now, I'll send this with Ares after charms class**_

_**(yes, Mom I'm writing during class, sorry but "Wingardium Leviosa" seems a bit pointless!**_

_**Love,**_

_**Mark**_

**Hermione finished reading the letter and smiled, he had a friend that was good.**

**And he had made the house Quidditch team, she was proud and she knew Harry would be too.**

**She was glad to hear he was doing good in Potions too.**

**But as she thought about it, Slughorn probably went easy on him because he was Harry's son.**

**She set the letter down and tore Lilly's open next.**

**Dear Mum and Dad,**

**I made Ravenclaw! I guess that means I'm smart huh?**

**I've really enjoyed my first week here; it's been a blast learning all this stuff.**

**I spend most of my time in the library, Hogwarts's library is huge!**

**Just like you said mum!**

**Mark's being a prat just because he's so popular and he's a seeker.**

**My only friend really is Riley, even though she's in Slytherin.**

**I don't see that much of Mark, and during the Quidditch match I didn't know who to cheer for.**

**It was Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor, who do I cheer for, my brother or my house?**

**I don't like Quidditch very much, it's violent and pointless, and I don't like wizards chess either.**

**I was watching the Weasley twins play and I noticed how barbaric it was.**

**I saw a house elf too! I read about them in A revised History of Hogwarts.**

**Hogwarts has the biggest population in one place in Britain in over 500 years.**

**They're really cute, I met one named Dobby, and he says he knew Dad, he's kinda weird.**

**I'm doing well in all my classes, my favorite and best is Transfiguration.**

**I love it, but my favorite teacher is Professor Lupin, I don't like Professor Slughorn that much, but everyone else is really nice, professor McGonagall says you were her favorite student.**

**She also told me and Mark about all the crazy stuff you and Dad and Uncle Ron got into when you were at school. **

**Professor Flitwick is really nice too; he goes really easy on all of us.**

**Professor Hagrid is probably the nicest teacher we have, he says he knew you, Dad, and uncle Ron really well, and that you were all really good friends.**

**I do have some bad news that accompanies this letter also,**

**Crookshanks died, he fell out of the stands at the Quidditch match and broke his neck.**

**Madame Pomfrey tried to help her, but she was already dead.**

**The feasts are really good, I love Hogwarts so much.**

**The meals aren't as good as your cooking mum, but they're good.**

**Mark and I will be home on December 15th we'll see you then!**

**Love Always,**

**Lilly Leanne Potter**

**Hermione's smile widened after reading her daughter's letter, it sounded like Lily was following in her mothers footsteps and Mark in his fathers.**

**She wrote back to them, praising their grades, and scolding Mark for saying Wingardium Leviosa was pointless.**

**She told him about the incident where it had saved her life from a troll in first year.**

**After sending the letters she checked on Bellatrix and the baby, **

**Bella was passed out on the couch and the baby was playing quietly on the floor.**

**She smiled before heading to her bedroom; she was going to freshen up and go see Luna.**

**Heaven knows that girl could use someone to talk to.**

"**THERE! THERE! IT'S RIGHT THERE!" Tonks shrieked, "You missed it"**

"**Well I can't see anything with you waving your bloody arms everywhere, miracle I didn't hit something" Harry snapped, he pulled into a random driveway and turned around.**

**He drove back until Tonks pointed out the symphony hall and drove up.**

**It was packed, cars were everywhere, Harry drove around the lot for 15 minutes before he found a spot, and it was the last one.**

**They walked in and a man checked their tickets, "Lucky, you've got seats on the stage balcony" he said.**

**Harry and Tonks followed the man's directions and found their seats, looking down they could see the stage probably better than anyone else, they were right on the stage, a few feet above where the musicians would be playing.**

**Harry looked out at the crowd, over two thousand people had crowded into the symphony hall.**

**Harry imagined that it was the most crowded place in Frisco that night.**

**After a few minutes the musicians piled onto the stage.**

**At once Vanessa Carlton spoke up, introducing herself and saying a few words of thanks to the applause.**

**Then she sat at her piano, and began to play.**

**She went through a bunch of songs, starting with San Francisco and ending with A Thousand Miles.**

**Afterwards she asked for two requests, Tonks shouted out Paint It Black, and Harry remembered listening to that song so many times during his depression without Hermione.**

**(A/N: This will be the last song I write into the story, meaning I use the whole song and not just mention the name)**

**She struck up the tune and Harry hummed along.**

_**I see a red door and I want it painted black**_

_**No colors anymore, I want them to turn black**_

_**I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes**_

_**I have to turn my head until my darkness goes**_

_**I see a line of cars, and they are painted black**_

_**With flowers, and my love both never to come back.**_

_**I see people turn their heads and quickly look away**_

_**Like a new born baby, it just happens every day**_

_**I look inside myself and see my heart is black**_

_**I see my red door, and I want it painted black**_

_**Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts**_

_**It's not easy facing up when your whole world is black**_

_**I wanna see it painted, painted, painted black, oh baby**_

_**I wanna see it painted, painted, painted black, oh baby**_

_**No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue**_

_**I could not foresee this thing happening to you**_

_**If I look hard enough into the setting sun**_

_**My love will laugh with me before the morning comes**_

_**I wanna see it painted, painted, painted black, oh **_

_**Black as night, black as coal**_

_**I wanna see the sun blotted out from the sky**_

_**Painted, painted, painted black oh baby**_

_**Painted, painted, painted black**_

**As she ended the theatre thundered with applause, her performance that night had been utterly marvelous.**

**As they left the building, Harry remembered that he wanted her autograph for Hermione.**

**He tried to get to her but a screaming mob of fans separated them.**

**Harry pulled out his wand and nonverbally stunned some of them, invisibly blasting a way through the screaming fans.**

"**Miss Carlton, can I get an autograph for my wife?" he asked.**

**She smiled and signed the CD case he was holding out.**

"**Thanks" he said, and backed into the crowd, he apparated back to the car with a _pop_.**

**Tonks was waiting in the car, "I got one too!" she said holding up her copy of _Be Not Nobody_.**

**Harry nodded and started the car.**

**They drove back towards the hotel, but were detoured when they heard police sirens blaring.**

**Harry pulled to the side of the road and let the cops speed past.**

**Harry flipped on the radio, "Devastation at the north side civic center…" Harry flipped it off, and looked at Tonks who just nodded.**

**They both Dissapparated with a _CRACK!_**

**Wow mum!**

**Did you really get attacked by a troll?**

**That's really cool! You must have been scared!**

**And Uncle Ron saved you with Wingardium Leviosa?**

**That must have been really wicked mum!**

**Professor McGonagall said she was terrified when she saw you guys standing there beside the unconscious troll!**

**I would have been scared; I bet Dad wasn't scared though, He's not afraid of anything, not even Voldemort.**

**Sorry about writing during charms, I gotta go, see you in a month!**

**Love**

**Mark**

**P.S: Lily was too busy to write so she sends her apology's and greetings!**

**Hermione put down the letter, it had been waiting for her when she had arrived home from Luna's earlier that day.**

**Luna had sobbed all over Hermione, and all Hermione could do was sit there and pat her on the back.**

**Luna was devastated, she felt like Ron had utterly betrayed her.**

**Hermione had talked with her after her sobs had died out.**

**They talked for an hour before Hermione returned home.**

**Now she was sitting at the kitchen table, folding Mark's letter back into it's envelope.**

**One line went through her head again and again,**

**I bet Dad wasn't scared though, He's not afraid of anything, not even Voldemort.**

**That was the public opinion, Harry Potter was invincible, and nothing scared him.**

**But Hermione had seen the fear in his face as he left to confront Ron.**

**Hermione had seen the fear in his face when he had killed for the first time.**

**And Hermione had seen the fear in his face when he had found her.**

**And she had definitely seen fear in his face when he had asked her to marry him. **

**The fact was, Harry Potter wasn't invincible, he had emotions too, and that included fear.**

**Harry and Tonks appeared near the civic center, the rest of his team was already there.**

**But it seemed as if all time had stopped, the flames around the civic center were frozen.**

**Muggle police and firemen were frozen in their tracks.**

**Then Harry heard a voice, coming from the roof of the civic center.**

"**I knew you'd follow me Harry, but I came alone, so we fight alone, no backup, this is it, the showdown" Ron yelled.**

"**Xanatos!" Harry yelled, he realized Ron was dead and that this was not Ron, It was Lord Xanatos,**

"**I'll fight you! And I'll kill you if I have to!"**

**Xanatos cackled a high merciless laugh that made Harry shiver, that wasn't Ron's laugh, but it came from him all the same.**

**Harry apparated to the top of the building, followed by his men.**

"**Don't do anything unless I give the signal" he whispered.**

**He could hear Xanatos cackling, "Ready for a duel Potter?" he asked.**

**Harry drew his wand, he didn't want to do this, but he had to.**

"**Yeah Xanatos, I'm here, and I'm ready to fight" he said.**

**Ron stopped laughing, "Really? I didn't think you'd have the backbone to kill your best friend" he said.**

"**Ron's dead, you're not Ron anymore, therefore you are no longer my best friend" Harry yelled.**

**Harry motioned for his men to back into the shadows, Tonks tried to argue but he silenced her with a glare.**

"**I'm ready when you are" Harry said.**

**Lord Xanatos said nothing.**

**For a few minutes no one attacked, they just paced around the dark roof, it was too dark.**

**Ron could have been two feet away and Harry wouldn't have seen him.**

**Suddenly a jet of orange light rushed at Harry, he dodged it just in time, and he felt it graze over his hair.**

"**_SECTUSEMPRA!"_ Harry yelled, it missed.**

"**So it begins" Ron said.**

"**_AVADA KEDAVRA!"_ he yelled, it grazed Harry's arm, and it felt hot.**

**They taunted and cursed and hexed and charmed for what seemed like hours, but could only have been a few minutes.**

**Unforgivable curses flew and Harry had to admit, Ron had improved his spell work greatly since Harry had last seen him.**

**Both had sustained serious injuries in the short amount of time they had fought.**

"**RON! IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO COME BACK TO OUR SIDE! YOU CAN'T WIN!" Harry yelled.**

"**Oh but I can" Ron sounded close.**

**Harry felt something poke into his back, Ron's wand.**

**Quick as lightning, from years of Quidditch and Auror training, Harry turned around, knocked Ron's wand out of his hand, and kicked him to the ground with his good leg.**

**Harry turned his wand on Ron, you can come quietly, or I can kill you.**

**Quick as a flash, Ron grabbed his wand and flung a curse at Harry.**

**Time slowed down, he saw Hermione, and Mark, Lily, and Anna clearly in his mind.**

**Bellatrix and Rebecca, and all the memories he had shared with Ron and Hermione.**

**Then he heard Tonks scream.**

**Harry looked up, everyone looked shocked, even Ron, Tonks's hands were covering her mouth and her eyes were wide.**

**Harry looked at his feet, Stone had jumped in the way of the curse, at the cost of his life.**

**Harry turned his wand on Ron, "You choose death" he said.**

**But Harry couldn't do it, he couldn't bring himself to say the words.**

"**Coward" Ron muttered, he could enrage Harry, but he knew Harry wouldn't kill him.**

**Suddenly Stroker stepped forward, "I'll do it" he said in his thick Transylvanian accent.**

**He leveled his wand at a fearful looking Ron, not Xanatos, Ron.**

"**_AVADA…"_ he started.**

"**NO!" Harry screamed on impulse, he lunged and his shoulder connected with Stroker's stomach.**

**Stroker screamed, and toppled over, off the roof of the San Francisco civic center.**

**Harry rushed to the side of the building, even from the distance of three stories up, he could see the angle that Stroker's neck was at, he was dead, Harry had murdered him.**

"**No" he whispered.**

**Ron just laughed, then he apparated.**

**Harry ran his hand through his hair, "What have I done?" he asked himself.**

**He looked at his troops, they were shell-shocked.**

**Tonks stepped forward, wide-eyed and shaking.**

"**Harry, I'm going to have to place you under arrest" she said, pointing her wand directly at his heart.**

**Ok that's the end of the chapter!**

**Felecia sends her thanks to those who ere concerned about her, she's recovering slowly, but the doctor said there shouldn't be any permanent damage.**

**Holly, the character that I made you into Mark's friend is going to become a main character later on that's what I have done for your loyalty**

**Next chapter will be The Trial.**

**I don't have much to say so I'm going to end it here.**

**See you next chapter!**


	10. The Trial

**Chapter 10: The Trial**

"**What?" Harry asked disbelievingly.**

**Ramsey, Drake, and Carpathia stepped forward, wands out, pointed at Harry.**

"**As Head auror of the British Department of Magical Law Enforcement, I have authority to place anyone who commits crime under arrest. I have with me three witnesses to a murder that you committed. I am forced under law to detain you for trial" she said, "if you try to resist, I have authorization, by you isn't it ironic, to kill"**

**Harry nodded, Tonks conjured a pair of handcuffs, and Harry placed his hands behind his back.**

"**You don't have to do that Tonks I'm not going anywhere" Harry said as she snapped them on.**

**She nodded, "I know but it's protocol" **

**She led him down the stairs, off the roof, and to Carpathia's car.**

**They drove back to the hotel, where they checked out and then used the fireplace in Harry's room to floo to the London ministry office.**

**He was taken to the wizengamont chambers where Tonks had already organized a trial, **

**Harry was to be tried before the full court, again.**

**Cho was acting as judge for his trial.**

**Harry sat down in the big stone chair and waited for the beginning of his trial.**

**As the members filed in, some looked disappointed to have to do this, some looked happy, and most just looked shocked.**

**After everyone was situated, Cho spoke up.**

"**Harry James Potter, you have been called to this trial today on charges of the murder of Abraham Jacob Stroker, and letting a federal criminal escape justice" she called, "On the date of November the 22nd we have been called forth to take action against your crimes, we shall now hear testimony from one witness, Nymphadora Tonks"**

**Tonks stood up, she was taking his place in the court.**

"**In San Francisco earlier this evening at 9:45 P.M Harry and I were on our way back from a concert, we had no work to do yet so we went for leisure time. On our way back to the hotel, some police cars sped past us and Harry flipped on the radio, it told of another attack so we apparated to the crime scene immediately.**

**Lord Xanatos, that is to say Ron Weasley, had frozen the muggle timeframe somehow, and was waiting to duel Harry on the roof of the civic center.**

**They battled alone, Harry didn't want our help.**

**The fought for a long time, before Harry finally had Ron backed into a corner, lying on the ground actually.**

**Anyway, Harry gave him the choice to come back quietly, or die.**

**Ron flung a curse at Harry and one of our agents, Jacob Stone, jumped in front of the curse, losing his life.**

**It seemed the sacrifice was in vain though, because when it came time to kill Lord Xanatos, Harry couldn't do it.**

**Then Agent Abraham Stroker tried to do the deed, Harry screamed, lunged, and knocked Stroker off the building.**

**After that, Ron escaped, and I detained Harry for trial, he made no attempt to escape."**

**She finished and everyone looked shocked.**

**Cho stood again, "Harry?" she asked, "Do you plead guilty, or must we do a majority vote?"**

**Harry looked up at Cho, "Guilty" he croaked.**

"**Then I sentence you to a short term in Azkaban until we can find suitable punishment" she said.**

**Harry nodded grimly.**

**The huge iron doors behind him opened and two Azkaban guards walked in, the pulled him roughly out of his chair and guided him back through the iron doors.**

**The slammed shut behind them, and the guards thrust Harry through the portal that led into Azkaban.**

**Two other guards led Harry into the prison complex to a low security cell, they took his wand and left him there, shutting the door behind them.**

**Harry didn't have high security cell like Pettigrew, his cell was very low security.**

**No Iron door, just bars, no guards outside the doors.**

**But he wouldn't try to escape, he'd just wait his sentence.**

"**COMING!" Bellatrix yelled at the pounding on the door to the Potter house.**

**She turned the golden handle and swung the big oak door open.**

**She was face to face with the last person she wanted to see.**

"**You" Tonks said.**

"**Me" Bellatrix said.**

"**I don't care what Harry says, I don't trust you" Tonks said, "You killed Sirius" **

**Bellatrix nodded, "And I'm not proud of it, but Harry has his reasons for trusting me" she said.**

"**What are you doing here?"**

**Tonks looked up, "I need to see Hermione" she said.**

**Bellatrix nodded, "All right, I'll get her, come in" she said.**

**Bellatrix walked into the living room where Hermione was playing with Rebecca.**

"**Dear cousin Tonks is here to see you" she said.**

**Hermione's head shot up, "All right thank you Bella, I'll be back" she said.**

**Hermione stood up and swept into the entry hall where Tonks was fidgeting nervously.**

"**What's wrong Tonks, did something happen to Harry?" she asked.**

**Tonks shook her head and gulped, "He hasn't been harmed, but in a manner yes something happened to him"**

**Tonks told her the whole story of everything that happened from the moment the got to Frisco to the moment Harry's trial ended.**

"**Why didn't you come to me last night as soon as the trial was over?" Hermione asked.**

"**I didn't know how to tell you" Tonks said.**

"**And he's in Azkaban now?" she asked.**

**Tonks nodded, "I visited him last night" she said.**

**Hermione put her hands on her hips and scowled, "You visited him but you couldn't let me?" she yelled.**

**Tonks flinched under Hermione's wrath, "Sorry" she said,**

"**We're filing papers to get him out now, if you'd like to come help" **

**Hermione nodded, "Ok, just wait a minute" she said.**

**She poked her head into the living room and told Bellatrix where she was going, then she grabbed a jacket out of the hall closet and left with Tonks.**

"**You did well my puppet" a dark voice sounded.**

"**Leave me alone! I don't want this! I wanted power but I don't want this! Just leave me alone!" someone screamed into the forgotten darkness.**

"**Oh, I'm afraid that there is nothing you can do, you see, I am the parasite and you are the host, I control you now, I have you in the palm of my hand" said the demonic voice again.**

"**NO! GET OUT NOW! NOOOOOOOOO!" **

**Harry shot up, he had been having another vision like dream, he couldn't recognize the voices, and it was too dark to see, but somehow they both sounded familiar.**

**Harry's back ached, these cells had no beds, prisoners were forced to sleep on the dirt floors.**

**He had a pounding headache too, his scar was burning, and that wasn't a good sign.**

**Azkaban was a nightmare, even without the Dementors.**

**All you could do was sit, and sit, and sit, and then sit.**

**And oh yeah, sit.**

**Harry got one meal a day, if you could call it a meal.**

**After three days in Azkaban Harry was already tempted to deplete his resolve, and try to escape.**

**But he could never be cleared like that, Sirius had endured twelve years here, Harry could stand a couple of days.**

**He waited patiently for any word from anyone; he had been here for three days.**

**Tonks and Hermione visited him every day and assured him that they were doing all they could to get him out.**

**Tonks had informed him that when he did get out he would be able to keep his job, because he had won the vote on that, too many people thought he was the best thing that ever happened to the ministry to let him stay off the job.**

"**Harry" Harry was brought out of his thoughts by Hermione's voice.**

**He looked up, "Hi" he said.**

**Bellatrix had accompanied her this time instead of Tonks.**

**She looked nervous.**

"**What's up Bella?" he asked.**

**She shivered, "I hate this place, I spent too many years here" she said, folding her arms over her chest as if she were cold.**

"**But she decided to come so she could see you" Hermione said.**

**Harry nodded his thanks, "Any news on how soon I can get out of here?" he asked.**

**She shook her head, "We finished the paperwork and sent it into the wizengamont but you're low on their priority list, too many attacks since you've been in here" she said.**

"**What? They aren't going to catch anyone until they let me out of here!" Harry said, exasperated.**

"**We know, calm down" Hermione said, reaching through the bars to take his hands in hers, "we know"**

**Harry smashed his hands against the bar and swore loudly.**

"**Harry! Watch your mouth!" she said.**

**Harry groaned, "I want out of here!"**

**Before Hermione could say anything a guard swept in, "Visiting time's over ladies" he said, giving Harry a sympathetic look.**

**Hermione gave him an apologetic look and followed the guard out the door, leaving Harry alone in his dark, cold cell.**

**Victor Krum was having a hay-day, as head of the Russian Magical Law Enforcement Department; he had to keep up with everything.**

**Problem was, that was too much.**

**The creeping darkness that was spreading over Europe, North Africa, and Northern Asia, had not yet breached the borders of the small towns in Russia.**

**Only now, people in Romania and Bulgaria were disappearing for lengthy amounts of time, and then ending up dead. Victor couldn't find any leads, and it was frustrating him.**

**Just last week there had been a mass slaughtering right under his nose, an abandoned warehouse had been found to be holding over 2,000 bodies.**

**Then there was the Troll attack on southern Romania just two days before.**

**Transylvania was sending reports of massive Dragon, Vampire, and Werewolf attacks.**

**Victor had to assume Lord Xanatos had succeeded where his predecessor had failed, he had learned to control dragons, no doubt from the knowledge he had gained from growing up around Charlie Weasley.**

**Victor had met Charlie, who had confessed to teaching Ron about dragons when Ron was young.**

**Victor knew that the outbreaks in Transylvania were from Xanatos because Greyback had been spotted among some of the allotted werewolf attacks.**

**Victor was short staffed because Russia had always been a peaceful country (in the magical community) and they had never needed much protection, perhaps that was why Xanatos was taking advantage of their weak defenses.**

**No doubt, most of the vampire attacks were coming from Count Dracula and his legion of swarming bloodsuckers.**

**No one had ever gotten close enough to castle Dracula without dying to set fire to it, or sneak attack Dracula while he was in his sleep.**

**Everyone Victor had sent into Transylvania had ended up dead, so he was packing to go himself.**

**He threw assorted things into his travel bag.**

**A few stakes, two bottles of holy water, and of course he had the "_Lumos Solem_" spell.**

**A silver stake for the wolves.**

**As for dragons, those would be another story, he brought a few research books from the Romanian library of congress for them.**

**He finished piling everything necessary for living in Transylvania for a while before closing the bag, slinging it over his shoulder, and stepping into his fireplace.**

"**Transylvanian Ministry Of Magic Building Atrium!" he shouted, and the green flames engulfed him.**

**Hermione and Bellatrix retrieved their wands from the security desks and hurried out into the freezing rain to their apparation point. **

**They both apparated back to Hermione's where Luna was sitting with Becky.**

**Luna left soon afterward, and Bellatrix and Hermione went back to their studying and paper work.**

**They sat in Hermione's library reading for hours, the only noise was the often turn of a page, or the occasional,**

"**Oh this might help…".**

**After about four hours Bellatrix left, returning twenty minutes later with the news that Becky was asleep and she had made coffee.**

**Hermione sipped hers occasionally, saving it, knowing they were into another late night of reading.**

**For the past three days, they had been reading every law book in Hermione's over-sized library so they could plead at Harry's sentencing case.**

**It seemed as if they had pulled down half the library, the usually clean room was now littered with discarded books, foam Starbucks cups, and empty, crushed up cola cans.**

**At about 4:00 A.M, Hermione slammed shut the cover of, **

**_Impulsive Murders for the mediocre law defenders: A guide to defending yourself in murder court_.**

**She was frustrated; they had found about 10 pages of relevant material out of about 600 books.**

**So far, she had a small defense speech written and she was hoping to make it better.**

**However, the fact remained, Hermione had two days to finish.**

**Even though she had downed about a gallon of caffeine that night, her eyelids were growing droopy and her mind was clouding over, she had to get to bed, now.**

**Bellatrix had left some time ago for bed, Hermione stumbled out of the room, flipping off the lights.**

**She felt her way to the staircase in the darkness and climbed the stairs wearily.**

**Soon she was lying comfortably in her large cozy bed… drifting off to dreams about a certain raven haired, emerald eyed man.**

"**_The time has come for me to put you to another use_"**

"**I don't wanna" someone slurred weakly into the darkness.**

"**_You will do as I say_"**

"**No…"**

"**_YOU WILL_!"**

"**I will do as you say, you are the master I will do as you say"**

**Harry didn't shoot up in bed this time, but his eyes split open.**

**He had a feeling that these dreams meant something, they were real, they were really happening.**

**He sat up, massaging his scar; he wished Hermione were here, she always made his headaches go away.**

**Harry heard the guard coming with his meal, he backed up against the wall as the guard pointed his wand at Harry.**

**The guard opened the door and slid the tray in.**

**He shut the cell door and walked off to deliver other meals.**

**Harry ate his bowl of chicken broth hungrily, he couldn't wait to taste one of Hermione's home cooked meals again.**

**He hated Azkaban, it sucked, he should have never killed Stroker.**

**Wait, he didn't even mean to kill Stroker.**

**After a minute of mulling over memories, Harry finally understood.**

"**GUARD! GUARD! HEY! GUARD!" He screamed.**

**The guard who had delivered his meal ran to the gate, "What is it?" he asked.**

"**I need to speak to my wife" he said.**

"**Sir, visiting hours are ov…" he started.**

"**NOW!" Harry yelled.**

**He shrugged his shoulders and walked off.**

**After a few minutes Hermione was there, she was alone, "What is it Harry?" she asked.**

**He laughed, "I know what happened, I know why I killed Stroker!" Harry said.**

**Hermione shook her head, "Why? What happened?" she asked.**

**Victor woke up from his sleep in the _Chauto Romana _hotel to the realization that all was not right.**

**It was too quiet.**

**He slipped out of bed and quietly grabbed his wand from the bedside table.**

**He slipped out of the door to his room and down the stairs.**

**The clerk at the receptionist desk was leaned over, his face lying in a pool of his own blood on the desk.**

**Victor inspected him a minute, ah there.. the bite marks on the neck, bitten, not slashed or ripped.**

**Vampires tended to be neater than werewolves about killing their victims.**

**But it was curious that they had left the blood instead of drinking it.**

**Victor strained his darkness-trained eyes but could see nothing, no shadows, no cloak hems, nothing.**

**His hearing had also been trained, but he couldn't hear anything either.**

**Maybe they had gone?**

**Victor didn't think so… he knew they were here for him, it wasn't a random hit and run kill.**

**Then Victor felt something ooze down his shoulder, blood.**

**He looked up just in time to see a female vampire flash from the rafters before she hit him, knocking the wind out of him and sending him into a backwards flip.**

**Luckily he landed on his feet.**

**He heard the rustle of a cloak behind him and whirled around.**

**Then he felt something slam into his back and he flew forwards.**

**Jumping up using his Quidditch reflexes to improve the speed, he looked around quickly.**

**Victor had the ability to take in a whole room in one glance.**

**Nothing, again.**

**It was still too quiet to be natural.**

**Something smashed into Victor, sending him into a sprawling position on the floor.**

**He got up slowly and turned around, "Nice to see you too Nicolina" he said.**

"**Victor, Victor, Victor, why must you cause master Dracula so much trouble?" she taunted.**

"**I only cause trouble for him when he threatens my country's peace" Victor replied.**

"**We must do as we are told or we will be killed by master Xanatos" the young beautiful vampiress said.**

**Everything Harry was telling her made sense, Hermione now believed she had the edge to winning the trial.**

"**And you're sure?" she asked him one more time.**

"**Yes I'm sure! Get me out of here!" Harry said.**

"**Baby I'm doing all I can, but the trial isn't until tomorrow" Hermione said. **

**He groaned, "I know, thanks for all your hard work, send my thanks to Bella too" he said.**

**Mark ran as fast as he could towards Transfiguration, he couldn't believe he was late.**

"**McGonagall's gonna kill me" he muttered as he ran.**

**Suddenly he collided with someone, knocking him backwards.**

**He rubbed his head as he was getting up, "Riley?" he asked, "sorry"**

**She grumbled something and picked up her books, she ran off without another word.**

**Mark picked up his own books and hurried down the hall, he was only 15 minutes late, not so bad.**

**He threw open the doors and rushed in, interrupting McGonagall's display of turning her desk into a pig.**

"**Sorry Professor, I had detention with Slughorn" he muttered.**

**McGonagall sighed, "Well then ten points from Gryffindor, and find your seat Mr. Potter" she said.**

**He found his seat next to Holly, "You're going to get Gryffindor in big trouble" she said.**

**He gave her an apologetic look and pulled out his copy of _A Beginners Guide To Transfiguration_.**

**Transfiguration went by quickly, Holly helped Mark with transfiguring his pin into a match, but the finished product was still silver.**

**Walking out of transfiguration class, Daniel Regulus his Quidditch captain stopped him, **

"**We have practice Friday night at 5:00 sharp, be there" the older boy said.**

**Mark nodded and then set off down the hall with Holly for lunch.**

**Ok that's the end of that chapter, (I think I made too many transitions)**

**I don't think I'll be writing again for a while, I'm off to college.**

**Two days ago was my birthday and I turned 18, I'm attending IV Tech University in Indiana, and I'm moving into**

**A new flat in downtown Kokomo Indiana, Felecia will be joining me when she heals all the way from her accident.**

**I'm planning on popping the question when she gets better too (wish me luck)**

**Thank you for all your reviews and for reading my story, like I said I may not be updating for a while because I am going to be busy moving into my new flat (excuse me _our _new flat)**

**If I do update good, if I don't please don't get mad because I will as soon as I can Ok!**

**And Holly, I got your message, your timing couldn't be more perfect to take vacation, you won't be reviewing for a while, and I won't be writing for a while.**

**Another reason I won't be updating a lot, is because (hopefully) I might have a wedding to plan.**

**See you all later, and again, wish me luck!"**

**P.S: I am going to write one more chapter on this before I stop to start moving**


	11. Purely Platonic

**Chapter 11: Purely Platonic **

"**Mrs. Potter, you have chosen to defend your husband in Supreme Court?" Cho asked.**

**Hermione stood, "I have, and the defense I have put together is legitimate" she said.**

"**Does the defendant have anything to say before his lawyer speaks?" Cho asked.**

**Harry shook his head, he felt too sick to speak.**

"**Mrs. Potter, you may speak" Cho said.**

**Hermione stood, and looking down at her papers, she began to speak.**

"**On the date of November 22nd of this year, Harry Potter was accused of first degree murder in the case of Special Agent Abraham James Stroker, and pleaded guilty of the criminal accusations" she said, suddenly Harry felt better knowing she was his lawyer, she sounded extremely experienced, and she hadn't started yet.**

"**I find a number of reasons why the defendant is innocent" she continued, "first of all, it was accidental murder in the first place, Harry had instructed that the aurors do nothing until he gave the word, yet Stroker made a move, and Harry stopped him, he couldn't know that the impact would plummet Stroker to his death. The defendant also had given orders to bring in the charged, _alive_; Stroker paid no heed to superior orders. **

**Yes the charged had just murdered an auror, but the curse was not meant for Stone, the defendant could have still detained the charged. If anyone committed a crime, it was Stroker, for first-degree insubordination.**

**The defendant also believes he was not acting of his own will, the Imperius curse could have easily been cast by the charged, after all no one had disarmed him after Stone's death, the defendant gave an accurate account of the symptoms of the curse, any questioning of the defendant on the matter can be done _after_ the hearing.**

**Two aurors died that night, and one federal criminal escaped justice, Stone did a noble thing in sacrificing his life.**

**But this trial, the escape of the charged, and the murder of Stroker could have been avoided if he had not committed insubordination. The charged meant to kill everyone he could kill that night, and he used whatever means possible to achieve that. Unforgivable curses are not above the level of the power of the charged, eyewitnesses say that those three curses had been flying for over a half-an hour before the defendant finally cornered the charged, and then everything turned around. The death of auror Stroker was a murder, but not by Harry Potter the defendant, that's all I have to say" Hermione ended, and took a big drink from her water bottle.**

**She placed her papers on the table and sat down, hands folded and placed on the desk.**

**No one spoke, no one had any argument, Hermione's case had been legitimate.**

"**If you have no arguments judge, I suggest you consult the jury" Hermione said, pointing to the row of Ministry workers who had been chosen for jury duty.**

**Cho didn't consult the jury, **

"**Full court vote" she began in a shaky voice, "all in favor of the defendant being found innocent raise your hands"**

**Every single hand in the court rose, including Cho's.**

"**It's unanimous then, Harry you are free to go" Cho said with a slight smile.**

**Harry jumped up and hugged Hermione tightly, "Maybe you should quit modeling and become a lawyer" he whispered in her ear.**

**Before they left the courtroom Cho stopped them, "Hermione that defense was excellent, I've never heard one like that" she said, Hermione just blushed and smiled.**

"**You don't seriously think she'd let her husband go to Azkaban do you Cho?" Harry said.**

**They chatted for a few minutes until reporters flooded around them, Harry who didn't have the patience for them, apparated home immediately.**

"**Hermione is that you? How did the trial go?" Harry heard Bellatrix calling.**

**She walked into the entry hall, "Oh Harry! It's you! I see Hermione's case won!" she said.**

**Suddenly Hermione appeared beside him, "Next time you leave, tell me you're leaving" she said.**

**Harry laughed, "Sorry love, didn't want to answer any questions from the reporters" he said.**

**Harry wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her lips lightly.**

**Just the Rebecca started crying and Bellatrix had to rush of again.**

"**Harry I want you to see the letters the kids sent us while you were gone" Hermione said, leading Harry into the library where she had them stored.**

**She opened the drawer on her desk and pulled them out.**

**Harry read both of them and smiled, "Like father like son, like mother like daughter" he said, "I wonder if we can get up to the school to watch one of his games"**

**Hermione shrugged, "I can write to McGonagall and ask if you want" she said and Harry nodded.**

**Mark twisted, and twirled, and zoomed around the pitch, testing the limits of his Firebolt.**

**He had given the snitch a 10-second head start before he tore off after it.**

**He could hear Holly cheering below him; he hoped he could fly this good during next week's game.**

"**OY! POTTER! COME DOWN WHEN YOU CATCH THE SNITCH!" the captain called.**

**Mark put on an extra spurt of speed and caught the snitch within 15 seconds.**

**He landed and everyone thumped him on the back, "Play like that at the game and we'll have no trouble" Regulus said.**

**He followed the rest of the team into the showers.**

**When he finished he walked out of the locker rooms to find Holly waiting for him.**

"**You want to take a walk by the lake?" she asked.**

"**Sure" Mark said.**

**Holly led Mark to a spot by the lake where they liked to sit and talk, a big rock outcropping.**

**She laid her head on his shoulder (in a purely platonic way), "The sunset's beautiful isn't it?" she asked.**

**Mark sighed, "Yes it is" he said, he was getting fidgety in this position; he had never been this close to a non- familial female before.**

**They stayed like that until the sun had fully set and then they started back up to the castle.**

**Holly wrapped her arms around herself and shivered.**

**She hadn't thought about future weather, this morning had been warm and she had dressed for the moment, and not brought a sweater or anything, and as it was early December, the air was cold.**

"**Here" Mark said, he took off his cloak and draped it over her (again in a purely platonic way).**

**She smiled, "Thanks" she said.**

**Mark threw open the big oak doors of the castle and they headed back up to Gryffindor tower.**

"**Password?" The fat lady asked.**

"**Snidget" Mark said, the fat lady swung open revealing the portrait hole.**

**Mark grabbed Holly's hand and helped her in.**

**They sat down on the couch and Holly asked him what he wanted to do.**

"**I guess we should start on our Defense against the Dark Arts essay" Mark said.**

**Holly agreed and they opened their books.**

**Dear Mrs. Potter**

**Of Course, you are allowed to come and watch your son play Quidditch, his next game**

**Is Friday, December 9th.**

**I hope you are doing well, your children are doing excellent, send my regards to your husband.**

**I hope to see the both of you soon.**

**Sincerely yours,**

**Professor McGonagall **

**Hermione passed the letter to Harry who read it.**

"**Well do you want to go?" Harry asked.**

"**Sure" she replied, "It'll give me a chance to see my children and see how much Hogwarts has changed in twelve years"**

**Harry laughed; leave it to Hermione to be curious about how much a thousand year old school changes in twelve measly years.**

**Harry gave the letter back to her and she folded it and then placed it in her desk drawer with the rest of her letters.**

**After finishing their homework, Mark and Holly snuck into the kitchens to get something to eat; they were hungry due to the fact that they had missed dinner.**

**Holly was a light eater but Mark was ravished due to Quidditch practice.**

"**I'll have some turkey legs, and a big steak, and some lamb chops too, oh and I'll have some bacon sandwiches, and some of that, and that, and oh that looks good, oh Holly! Look at that!" Mark put down huge amounts of food.**

**Holly gave him a weird look, "It's hereditary, my dad's a heavy eater too" he said.**

**She sighed, shaking her head.**

"**Where do you learn such big words?" she asked, giggling.**

"**Between you for a best friend and 'The Great Hermione Potter' for my mom, it's surprising I don't know every word in the world dictionary/thesaurus" he said through a mouthful of turkey.**

**She grimaced, "Don't talk with your mouth full" she said.**

**He swallowed and then laughed, "If I've said it once I've said it a hundred times, you are just like my mom" he said.**

**Holly looked like she was trying hard to hold back a smile.**

"**I take that as a compliment, I very much like what I've heard and read about your mother" she said.**

**They finished eating and then walked back up to Gryffindor tower.**

**The finished a potions essay before going to bed.**

**The next day Mark woke up before any of the other Gryffindor boys.**

**He went down to breakfast where Holly was already finishing up.**

"**What time did you get up?" he asked.**

"**6:30" she said.**

**He laughed, "Poor you" he said, she looked really tired.**

**The next week for Harry and Hermione went by fast, Harry caught a few Death Eaters and Hermione had secured a few ads in witch weekly.**

**Friday morning they rose early to get an early start to Hogwarts.**

**When they apparated to the grounds Hermione sucked in a deep breath, "Good to be back" she said.**

**Harry frowned, "Not for me, last time I was here Dumbledore died" he said.**

**Hermione smiled cheerfully, "come on, a bit of Quidditch will cheer you up" she said.**

**She grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him through the gates onto the grounds.**

**Looking around the grounds, flashbacks of the night Dumbledore died hit him.**

**There was the tree where Greyback had ripped out Dawlish's throat.**

**There was the spot in the grass where Hagrid had killed Lucius Malfoy.**

**And there… there was where it had happened, Dumbledore's death.**

**Harry pointed at it and recounted the memory to Hermione.**

**Harry could have sworn a few tears leaked from her eyes.**

"**Come on" he said, pulling her towards the oak doors, where Lily came rushing out to meet them.**

"**Hi honey! Oh, I missed you so much" Hermione said, hugging her daughter in a way that reminded Harry of Mrs. Weasley's hugs.**

"**Ok Hermione, let the girl breathe" He said, prying Hermione off Lily.**

"**Thank you dad" she said, rubbing her ribs.**

"**Where is your brother?" Harry asked.**

"**Oh he's doing a pre-game prep practice" Lily said.**

"**Well hen, let's go shall we?" Harry asked.**

**Lily skipped towards the Quidditch pitch and Harry and Hermione followed.**

**Harry and Hermione chose seats in the Gryffindor stands, next to a little girl that Hermione thought looked very pretty.**

"**Hi what's your name?" she asked.**

"**Holly" the little girl said, "You must be Mark's parents"**

**Then it clicked.**

"**Oh, you must be Mark's friend" Hermione said, smiling, and the little girl nodded.**

"**I've heard a lot about you Mrs. Potter" Holly said.**

"**Oh, you can call me Hermione Holly" Hermione said.**

"**Ok, I've heard a lot about you Hermione Holly" Holly said and Harry snorted.**

"**Funny little girl isn't she Hermione" Harry said and Holly smiled.**

"**Yes she is" Hermione said.**

"**Mark's told me all about both of you, you're my role model Hermione" Holly said, beaming.**

**Hermione blushed, "Well… I… Uh… Er… Um I…" Hermione stuttered.**

"**She's pleased that you like her" Harry said.**

**Just then, the commentator spoke up and everyone was quiet.**

"**WELCOME TO THE GRYFFINDOR VS SLYTHERIN MATCH, THE SECOND MATCH OF THE SEASON BETWEEN THE MOST PROMISING TEAMS! WITH MARK POTTER AND RILEY MALFOY BOTH FLYING FIREBOLTS, THIS SHOULD BE AN INTERESTING MATCH!" the commentator called.**

**Mark saw his parents sitting next to Holly and he waved.**

**His dad waved back but Holly and his mother were in deep conversation and didn't notice him.**

**Just then, the commentator started and they grew quiet.**

**Mark followed the team to the middle of the pitch and waited.**

**The captains shook hands and the Madam Hooch let the quaffle go.**

**The game had started.**

**Everyone kicked off and then Madame Hooch let the Bludgers go.**

**Mark zoomed as high as he could get without the action below fading.**

**He started his search for the snitch.**

**Below one of the Gryffindor, chasers had just scored a goal and Slytherin supporters were hissing.**

**Mark dodged a Bludger and plummeted toward the ground, his dad had taught him about the Wronski Feint.**

**Malfoy pursued and Mark hoped he could pull this off, no such luck.**

**Malfoy mimicked his moves and pulled up at the last minute.**

**Mark zigged and zagged through the web of players, he could only tell who was who because of the different colors of the blurs that were his teammates, red and green.**

**He collided with a green blur and the tore off towards the other side of the field.**

**Slytherin scored a goal and Mark swore accidentally.**

"**Good thing Holly's not here" he thought.**

**Victor woke in the lavish hotel bed and he was not alone.**

**The thought of what had happened last night still haunted him, he had slept with a vampire.**

**Nicolina began to stir and Victor hated himself, he could have killed her while she was sleeping.**

**However, how can you kill someone you just had sex with?**

**Her hand crawled up Victor's bare leg and he suppressed a moan.**

"**Victor? Why must we fight? Why can all our nights be like that one?" she asked.**

**Victor removed her hand and sat up.**

"**Because, I can't allow you to kill people that are my responsibility, like that poor receptionist you killed last night" Victor said.**

**She placed her hand on his chest and drew small circles with her fingernails.**

"**Why do you give off an aura of sadness? Was I not how do you say, 'a good shag'?"**

**Victor sighed, the truth was, she had been great.**

"**No you vere vondeful" he said.**

**She smiled, showing off her long fangs.**

**She grazed her fangs over his neck and shoulders, he failed to stifle his groan this time and she grinned seductively.**

"**Can we not do it again?" she asked.**

**Victor shook his head, "No" he said and she whined.**

"**Why do you protest so much? I have given myself to you and still you treat me like an enemy!" she said.**

**Victor narrowed his eyes at her, "That is because you _are_ an enemy" he said coldly.**

"**Well, I might as well leave then!" she said, but before she could vanish, Victor grabbed her arm.**

"**Help me Nicolina, help me defeat Dracula and I vill make pleasure vith you" he said.**

**Nicolina's face screwed up in concentration as she thought about the pros and cons of betraying her master.**

**Dodging a Bludger by spinning upside down, Mark zoomed after the glint of gold that was hurtling up the left side of the field.**

**He dodged a few green and red blurs and accidentally flew through one of the Slytherin goal posts.**

**Everyone laughed and Mark suppressed a grin.**

**But in that brief moment of distraction, the snitch had gotten away.**

**This was the longest game Mark had ever seen, it had already lasted three and a half hours, and it looked like it could go on for another two at least.**

**Suddenly Riley Malfoy plummeted toward the ground, and three feet away from her was the familiar glint of gold.**

**Mark put on a burst of speed, though he knew he would never catch her, he had to try.**

**He twirled and twisted trying to urge his broom to go faster.**

"**Come on, come on!" he said through gritted teeth.**

**Riley reached out, her fingers grazing the snitch but not yet touching.**

**Then, suddenly, out of the blue a Bludger smashed into her arm, sending her spinning off course.**

**Mark sped forward and effortlessly caught the snitch.**

**He rose up; holding it high in the air and the crowd erupted into cheers.**

**No one was cheering louder than Harry, Hermione, and Holly.**

**As Mark took a victory lap around the stadium, they made their way down the stands to meet him.**

**When he dropped off of his broomstick, Holly threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek making him blush.**

"**You were great!" she squealed.**

**Harry gave Hermione a meaningful look and they grinned.**

**Harry arranged to take Mark and Holly into Hogsmeade so they could eat lunch together at the Three Broomsticks.**

**By the time, they were finished eating Harry and Hermione were both very well acquainted with Holly.**

**After lunch and a little shopping Harry and Hermione led the kids back up to the castle, then Hermione insisted on spending some time with Holly, before seeing Lily.**

**Harry showed Mark some spots where memorable things had happened in his years at the school.**

**Then as they were walking down the Charms corridor Harry brought something up.**

"**You like her don't you" it was more a statement than a question.**

"**What?" Mark asked defensively.**

"**I can tell, you think a guy can be married for twelve years and not know the signs?" Harry said.**

"**Dad! I do not! Our relationship is purely platonic!" Mark said.**

**Harry smiled to himself, even if Mark denied it, it as there.**

**As Harry showed Mark the spot where he and Ron had locked Crabbe and Goyle in a closet in second year, Mark laughed, and then asked, **

"**Is it really that obvious?" **

"**Hm?" Harry asked.**

"**That I like her" Mark muttered.**

**Harry chuckled quietly, "No, but like I said, I can read the signs" he said.**

"**Oh, what do I do?" his son asked.**

**Harry knew that someday he would have to answer that, "Be yourself, girls like that, don't try and show off around her too much, maybe a little but not too much, and just gradually let her know how you feel" Harry said.**

**Mark nodded.**

**After a while, they met Hermione in the entrance hall where she was in deep conversation with Holly over**

**_Hogwarts: A History_.**

**When Harry told Hermione that they needed to leave both she and Holly groaned and asked, "Do we have to?"**

**Harry nodded, it was getting late.**

**The children walked with them to the gate where Hermione said goodbye to her children and her new friend.**

**Harry said his goodbyes before wrapping an arm around Hermione and apparating home.**

**The first thing they noticed when they appeared home was the quiet, no baby crying.**

**Hermione found a note on the fridge from Bellatrix telling them she was going out for a while.**

**They trudged up to their bedroom and changed into their pajamas.**

**Harry threw a DVD in the player and fell back on their new waterbed.**

"**Comfy, eh?" he asked Hermione as she snuggled into him.**

"**Just dreamy" she said lazily.**

**Harry pressed play on the DVD player and _Bridget Jones's Diary_ came on.**

**They paid no real attention to the movie though, as they were soon in an intense argument about Mark.**

"**He's too young to have a girlfriend, and you encouraged him!" Hermione said.**

"**Hermione, calm down, it's not like their gonna be shagging or anything" Harry said, and that only made her worse.**

"**How do you know? Holly's a very curious girl!" Hermione said.**

**Harry scowled, "She's just like you were 'Mione" he said.**

"**HARRY! That's my point, _I _was too curious, in case you hadn't notice that's why I was pregnant at 17!" she yelled.**

"**SO YOU REGRET THAT WE HAD SEX? IS THAT IT?" Harry yelled.**

**Harry's yelling only enraged her further.**

"**DAMN IT HARRY! YOU KNOW I DON'T! BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE A GRANDMOTHER YET!" she yelled.**

"**HERMIONE THEY ARE ELEVEN YEARS OLD! THEY AREN'T EVEN THINKING ABOUT SEX AT THAT AGE!" Harry yelled back.**

"**I WAS!" she said, shocking Harry.**

"**FUCK IT HERMIONE! HE'S NOT GOING TO MAKE HER PREGNANT!" He said.**

**Hermione lost it.**

"**THAT'S NOT MY FUCKING POINT! HE IS TOO FUCKING YOUNG FOR A BLOODY GIRLFRIEND, YES I LIKE HOLLY BUT I DON'T WANT MY SON DATING YET!" she roared.**

"**IT'S NOT DATING!" Harry roared back, "YOU KNOW HOW KID'S ARE WITH THEIR 'girlfriends' OR 'boyfriends' THEY'RE ONLY KIDS! THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT REAL DATING IS!"**

**Hermione dissolved into tears, she wasn't used to Harry yelling at her.**

"**I'm sleeping on the couch" she muttered, and then she grabbed her blanket and pillows and thumped down the stairs.**

"**SO WHAT? YOU THINK THAT'S GONNA MAKE IT BETTER?" Harry yelled after her.**

"**NO I JUST THINK I NEED TO GET AWAY BEFORE WE HURT EACH OTHER!" she yelled through her tears. **

**Harry softened a little; he hadn't meant to hurt her feelings that bad.**

**And as for what she just said, did she really think he was even capable of hurting her physically?**

**He wanted to go apologize to her, but thought better of it.**

**Apologizing would only show signs of weakness, which was exactly what she wanted.**

**Harry pulled the blankets over him, slumped back, and fell asleep within minutes.**

**Ok, there is that chapter.**

**I put that fight in there because I want to show, that you know guys, marriage isn't perfect (the argument was pointless too which is the case in most real fights)  
Speaking of marriage, Felecia said yes! I'm so Happy.**

**No, she isn't healed fully, but she's good enough to move in and we are getting married soon.**

**I'll be starting college soon too, life couldn't be any better for me at the moment.**

**Someone said that they are interested in the fact that I give you guys a really in depth view of my life, I don't know why I do that, I just do.**

**Someone also asked how long me and Felecia have been together, that's a personal question but I'll answer, let's see, since we were thirteen, that's… 5 years. Wow? 5 years? Didn't seem like that long.**

**My moms in hysterics because her baby is getting married.**

**Ok I got to go, it's like two in the morning and Felecia wants me to come to bed.**

**Hope you liked the chapter!**


	12. Authors Note 1

**Chapter 12: Authors Note 1**

**Ok I have a few things to say that won't fit in a short 'after chapter' authors note so I'm doing this.**

**First of all I hope you liked the last chapter.**

**And like I said Felecia and I are _very_ busy moving into our new apartment so my writing is going to take a while.**

**I also have some news you're not going to like; I have to skip 5 years between the last chapter and the next one.**

**Because I need Mark and Holly to be sixteen.**

**The next chapter might be done this week, I don't know, It might take a while because, well four reasons actually.**

**You already know I'm moving**

**I start school soon**

**I have to take care of Felecia until she's healed all the way from her car accident**

**I have a wedding to plan! YES, YES, YES!**

**Ok those are my four reasons for not updating.**

**I have to say, my stories are getting far more reviews than I thought they would, One reader in particular who I have thanked in the past, has stayed with both of these stories, and every one I have written in between.**

**And whoever e-mailed me asking weather Felecia and I are sleeping together: (yes) THAT IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS! AND HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET MY E-MAIL ADDRESS? **

**I don't mind giving you guys a view of my personal life, but that question was a little to personal, to the point of being just downright nosy.**

**Anyway thanks to everyone who reviewed, Holly I'm sorry about your vacation being cut short, but at least you're still here to review my story! Yay!**

**And Holly I also need to know what color your hair and eyes are so I can put that in the story, and the length and style of your hair please, is it long, is it short, is it curly, is it straight, is it bushy?**

**And answering an unasked question, yes Holly and Mark's relationship will become essential to the plot, as Holly discovers something very important.**

**No she is not going to be like Hermione, she isn't a bookwormy know it all anymore.**

**Thank you to my readers, Thank you to my reviewers, and thank you to Holly.**

**Look out for the next chapter soon: Holly, Bells, and Mistletoe **

**It's going to be sad on one side, but happy on the other, so I hope you like it.**


	13. Holly, Bells, and Mistletoe

**Chapter 13: Holly, Bells, and Mistletoe **

**Hogwarts was lovely this time of year, it was Mark's favorite time.**

**Christmas had something to do with it, but he just liked the atmosphere that came with the holidays mostly.**

**The castle waited impatiently for Christmas day, Mark most of all, he had something special planned.**

**Mark was now in his sixth year at school, he had gotten a drivers license over the summer, but he preferred flying.**

**Apparation classes had started in school, he liked it, but again he preferred flying.**

**Luckily, because of Holly, he had done well on OWLS and he couldn't be happier, he knew what he wanted to do when he graduated, play professional Quidditch. He had been named Quidditch captain over the summer and couldn't have been happier. He had been bursting with pride when he had shown Holly his badge.**

**Holly had also matured over the summer, physically that is.**

**Mark couldn't keep their friendship on a platonic level anymore, she had developed a beautiful body over the last few years.**

**And Mark still hadn't told her how he felt, well after tonight she would know.**

**Mark sat next to her during lunch and could hardly breathe, that's how it had become.**

**He couldn't breathe when he was near her, but he was suffocating when he wasn't.**

**When he was near her, all he could do was stare at her dreamily, when he wasn't he could hear her voice inside his head all day long.**

**They had all the same classes, and Mark was happy about that.**

**As he followed Holly to the great hall he noticed how much he loved the way her hair swished from side to side as she walked, under her robes he imagined her hips were matching that movement.**

**He groaned at that thought and she turned around, "Did you say something?" she asked, blushing.**

"**N-No, I- just a Quidditch injury" he stuttered.**

**She giggled at his faltering and continued walking to the great hall.**

**After Lunch, they went to Defense against the Dark Arts class.**

**Mark split up with Holly at the restroom, "Tell Lupin I'll be there in a minute" he said.**

**She nodded and continued down the hall.**

**Mark pushed open the door to the restroom and walked in.**

**He used the restroom quickly and then washed his hands.**

**Looking up from the sink, he fiddled with his hair a minute, no success it was a stubborn as his father's.**

**He pulled out his wand and cleared the small bits of acne away with a charm Holly had invented.**

**He made his way out of the bathroom and to the DADA classroom, where Professor Lupin was in the middle of a speech on Defensive Jinxes.**

"**Mark, if you would be kind enough to take a seat" Lupin said, pointing at the empty chair next to Holly.**

**Mark nodded and slipped into the empty chair.**

"**I like your hair" Holly said and he blushed slightly.**

**He silently scolded himself and then tried to pay attention to the lesson.**

**All through the rest of class, Mark's attention was drawn to Holly's shining face and he couldn't help think how sexy she looked when she was concentrating, she had her head cocked to one side leaning on her arm and her hair was cascading down her shoulder.**

**After class he found himself reaching for her hand as they walked close together down the halls to potions, but thinking better of it, he pulled his hand back before she noticed.**

**As they walked down the stairs, Mark, who was not paying attention to where he was walking, sunk into the trap stair.**

**Holly, who hadn't noticed, kept walking.**

"**HOLLY! HELP ME DAMN IT!" He yelled.**

**She twirled around and her hand flew to her mouth to stifle a laugh, which was a shame, she had a beautiful laugh.**

**She walked over to him and helped him out, he kissed her on the cheek, "Thanks" he said, and walked down the stairs.**

**Holly was rooted to the spot, her hand on the spot where Mark's lips had touched her skin, she was blushing.**

"**If only" she muttered before running to catch up to Mark.**

**Holly and Mark reached potions class just in time, no sooner had they taken their seats than Professor Slughorn swept into the classroom.**

**Holly glanced at Mark and they both grinned.**

"**Today will be a practical exam, I'm going to put you in pairs, one of you will be poisoned and the other will have to make an antidote, don't worry, if your partner is not cured by the end of class I have pre-made antidotes at the ready" Slughorn said.**

**Slughorn allowed the students to select their own partners and Mark of course selected Holly.**

**The Professor started passing out the poisons for students to drink, when he came to Mark and Holly he handed them a bottle of blackish-blue liquid before passing to the next table.**

"**I'll take it," the two of them said at the same time.**

"**I'll take the poison," Holly said, "you're better at making potions than I am"**

**Mark hesitated, anything could happen and he could lose her.**

**Before Mark could react, Holly downed the bottle of poison.**

**She swayed for a moment and her eyes rolled into the back of her head before she toppled over on the table.**

**Mark flipped through his potions book for a quick and easy antidote, finding none he thought for a moment, bezoars weren't allowed in exams.**

**Then he remembered something he had learned in second year, a potion that antidotes most poison.**

**He rushed over to the bookcase and pulled out, _Most Common Antidotes year 2_**

**He flipped through the book until he found the potion.**

**He gathered the ingredients from the store cabinet.**

**He looked down at the instructions,**

**Chop eel spleen into quarters and dump into water.**

**Add pinch of spider abdomen powder and stir for twelve minutes.**

**Add 3 doxy eggs and powder of graphorn horn, four billywig stings should also be used for maximum effectiveness.**

**Stir until potion turns light shade of green and then add scale of firecrab to the mixture.**

**At this point a cloud of thick orange smoke should be emitting form your cauldron.**

**Add saliva of an Acromantula and stir until mixture turns grey.**

**Heat the mixture to approximately 400 degrees, let mixture cool, or use a freezing charm if you are in a hurry, antidote is now ready to be used. **

**Mark charmed his knife to chop the eel spleen while he crushed the spider abdomen into a fine powder, his cauldron was heating to boiling point. After he finished crushing the spider, he pinched the powder into the potion.**

**He dumped his tray of eel spleen into it and used a swirling charm on the water to stir it.**

**After twelve minutes, he cracked the doxy eggs into the cauldron and pinched the graphorn powder into it.**

**He tore the stings off some billywigs and dumped them into the potion.**

**The swirling charm kept up until the water turned green and he stopped it.**

**Holly groaned and he muttered, "Hold on"**

**He added the firecrab scale and a puff of orange smoke emitted.**

**He dumped a bottle of Acromantula saliva into the potion and it made a hissing sound.**

**He performed another swirling charm and kept it up until the water turned grey.**

"**_Lacarnum Inflamarae_" he muttered, pointing his wand at the bottom of his cauldron where a bright blue fire suddenly appeared.**

**After about five minutes, he put the fire out and performed a freezing charm on the water.**

**It cooled, but not too much.**

**He dipped a glass into the foul looking, sludgy potion and brought it out.**

**It was the foulest smelling thing he had ever handled, and that included bubotuber pus.**

**He lifted Holly's head gently; her face was now blue, as if she couldn't breathe.**

**He tipped the potion into her mouth and tilted her head back farther to make her swallow.**

**She sputtered for a moment and then her eyes fluttered open.**

**Her face returned to its normal color, and ark let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding.**

"**Holly?" he asked.**

**She was silent.**

"**Holly?" Mark asked again.**

"**That was the worst thing I've ever tasted" she slurred, her head swaying from side to side.**

**Mark laughed.**

"**I thought you were a goner" he said.**

**After dinner that night, Mark pulled Holly into a vacant classroom.**

"**We need to talk" he said.**

**Harry stumbled in the door at about 3:00 in the morning.**

**He fumbled with the lock on the door, trying to get the blasted thing to lock so he could sneak up to bed.**

**He was three hours late coming home from work.**

**Successfully locking the door after about twenty tries, Harry kicked off his shoes and tried to feel his way through the living room.**

**He bumped into a chair and sprawled over onto the floor, "Shh!" he said, shushing the chair, "we don't want to wake Hermione now, do we"**

**An exasperated sigh came from somewhere near the kitchen.**

**The lights flipped on and Harry shielded his eyes, "A little late for that Harry" Hermione said from the kitchen doorway.**

**She was clad in a pink bathrobe and slippers, her hair in a messy knot behind her head.**

"**What has gotten into you lately Harry? You've been coming home late from work, every night it's later, and that's if you even come home at all!" Hermione said, "sometimes I wake up in the morning and you're not even there, how is that supposed to make me feel?"**

**Harry grumbled something under his breath.**

"**Don't grumble at me Harry Potter! I'm not the one staying out all night and who knows what you're doing out there!" she hissed.**

**Harry didn't answer and she scowled.**

"**Harry our marriage is falling apart! I want us to be back to where we were! I want to be able to trust you again!" she said, on the verge of tears.**

**Harry stumbled forward and shoved a box into her hands before running out the back door.**

**(A/N: No he's not drunk, just tired)**

**Hermione didn't move for a while, partly because she was angry, and partly because she was sad.**

**She didn't know when he'd come back, lately he had been coming home late, sometimes not even coming back.**

**And now he had left, who knows, he might not come back for a month, he might not come back at all.**

**Hermione felt her eyes well up with the thought of him leaving her for good.**

**She slumped to the floor with her hand covering her face.**

**She dropped the box Harry had given her and it fell open on the floor.**

**She heard the impact on the kitchen tile and looked up.**

**Shining back at her, were the most beautiful diamonds she had ever seen, attached to the most beautiful pure gold necklace she had ever seen.**

**There was a note inside too, she quickly read it.**

**Dear Hermione,**

**I know we've had some rough times these past few months, but I really want to make it up to you,**

**I love you; I can't live without your love and your trust.**

**All this fighting is just going to lead to a divorce, which is the last thing I want.**

**You're my everything and I need you.**

**I'm going to give you your gift early.**

**Merry Christmas Hermione.**

**Love with all my heart,**

**Harry**

**Hermione gently lifted the necklace out of the box.**

**She held it in one hand while the other covered her face and her tears spilled out.**

**She never found the will to leave the floor that night, she cried herself to sleep on the kitchen floor, the necklace still in her hands, clutched to her heart.**

**The classroom was dark, and Mark did nothing to light it.**

**Holly looked into his eyes and he was lost in their beauty.**

"**What was it you wanted to talk about?" she asked.**

**He shook his head and pointed up at the ceiling.**

"**Mistletoe" she said with a fiery glint in her eyes.**

**Mark nodded, he couldn't speak.**

**He was faintly shocked when Holly leaned up and placed her lips on his lightly.**

**The only word that could describe this was paradise.**

**After he came out of his shock, he kissed her back, he tentatively touched her lips with his tongue and she opened, giving him access to her mouth.**

**Lightning was flashing through his spine, his chest, his stomach, and his legs.**

**He was in love with this girl and she was kissing him like there was no tomorrow.**

**Her hands were thrust into his hair and he had his hands under her shirt.**

**She was moaning into his mouth, and he into hers.**

**Their tongues were twisted together and their hands were exploring each others' bodies.**

**Mark had always imagined this kiss and his fantasies didn't come close to what he was now feeling.**

**Her tongue left his and explored the rest of his mouth, while her hands were massaging his arms.**

**Mark's arms were wrapped tightly around her waist and his hands were resting on her hindquarters.**

**Holy began to grind her hips into his and he broke the kiss.**

**He looked her in the eyes, asking the question without asking.**

**She bit her lower lip and nodded.**

**Mark conjured a big floor pillow and laid her down gently.**

**He climbed on top of her and began to unbutton her shirt, while she worked at his…**

**When Hermione woke up the next morning, she was hoping against hope Harry would be there.**

**He wasn't.**

**Bellatrix had moved out the previous year, so Hermione was all alone.**

**She didn't have the willpower to eat or to cook, so she slouched into the living room.**

**She doubted she could climb the stairs to her bedroom so she collapsed on the couch.**

**She sobbed into the armrest for what seemed like forever.**

**When she finally composed herself, she took a shower and dressed.**

**She ran down the stairs and grabbed her car keys, even in the midst of a crises, she had to work, Harry was a grown man, and he knew his own way home.**

**She was on the verge of tears the whole way to work and she couldn't smile or look sexy for the photo shots at work.**

**All through shots and paperwork that day Hermione was sniffling and on the verge of crying.**

"**Crap, crap, crap, and more crap" her agent said, slamming her latest pictures down on his desk, startling Hermione out of her thoughts.**

"**What?" she asked, looking down at a picture of herself in a sexy black dress.**

"**You have a unique look Hermione, and usually you're the most gorgeous model in the industry, but these aren't up to your usual standards, you aren't smiling or twirling your hair or anything like you usually do, what's up?" he said.**

**Hermione found her voice choked as she spoke next, "I'm sorry, it's just that I yelled at my husband last night for being out late, and it turns out he was only out late to buy me this" she said, showing him the necklace that was around her neck. He nodded to let her know he was listening and she continued, "and I yelled at him before he could explain, so he shoved the box into my hand and ran out, that was last night and he still hasn't come back" she said, her tone dropping with each word.**

"**Oh" Robby (Her agent) said, "that's sad" **

**Hermione sniffed and nodded.**

"**I can set you up with a…"**

"**We don't need a marriage counselor Robby!" Hermione snapped.**

"**Well, I can at least give you an early paycheck as a motion of sympathy" he said, handing her a white envelope.**

**Hermione thanked him and walked out.**

**She cashed the check and deposited the money in the muggle account she and Harry shared.**

**She worked for two modeling agencies, one for witch weekly and one muggle agency.**

**After deposited the money she drove back to her big, empty house.**

"**Cest' la vie" she thought gloomily as she walked in.**

**Mark woke up with his face still buried in Holly's hair.**

**They had locked the door before they made love, so Mark wasn't worried about someone walking in on them.**

**The memory of last night was burned into his head and he recalled it as clearly, as if it had just happened.**

**Holly began to stir and he released her waist, which he had been clinging firmly to.**

"**Morning sexy" she mumbled.**

"**Morning yourself beautiful" Mark said.**

**Suddenly Holly got up, giving Mark a good view of her perfectly sculpted rear end.**

**She retrieved her clothes and started putting them on.**

"**What's the hurry?" Mark asked, sitting up.**

**Holly grinned at him.**

"**You made me hungry, now help me get this stupid bra on" she said.**

**Mark got up and helped her fasten the clip of the blue silk bra she had been wearing, kissing the back of her neck in the process, eliciting a fair few moans.**

**She pulled her skirt and sweater back on and then her tie.**

**She tapped her head with her wand and her hair returned to its neat, silky state.**

**Mark put his clothes back on and then turned around and kissed her.**

"**I love you" he said.**

"**And I you" she replied, and holding hands they made their way to the great hall for breakfast.**

"**And so they bloody arrest me for doing bloody nothing" hiccupped Harry.**

"**Nothing at all?" Draco asked.**

**Harry gave him as stupid grin and sloshed some of his Firewhiskey down his shirt.**

"**No.. hic.. nothing" he said.**

**Harry and Draco were sitting in the bar of Malfoy manor having a 'friendly shot or two' but unfortunately that 'shot or two' had turned into about twenty or thirty, Harry was able to hold his liquor well but this was getting to be too much.**

**He swayed on his stool and poured himself another glass.**

"**And bloody Tonks was the witness at the bloody trial, makin' it sound like I… hic… actually… hic… did… hic… something" Harry said.**

"**HI-HO SILVER AWAY!" Malfoy suddenly boomed before falling backwards of his stool.**

**Harry laughed and then fell himself.**

**When he woke up, he had one hell of a hangover.**

"**Deliquarius" he muttered and it vanished instantly.**

"**That's better" he said.**

**Malfoy was gone, which meant that he had already woken.**

**Harry stood up on wobbly legs, he was surprised he hadn't cracked his skull during that fall.**

**How had he even wound up drinking so much?**

**He had stormed out of the house last night and slept in his car, then that morning he drove to the Malfoy's and Draco had let him in.**

**Harry explained about his problem with Hermione and Draco had offered to let his stay at the mansion until he worked things out with Hermione.**

**Draco had agreed and so did Ginny reluctantly, not to tell Hermione where Harry was until he saw it fit to inform her.**

**After setting Harry's room up they had gone down to the bar, where Harry had tried a little bit of everything, the Malfoy's had a diverse line of drinks, exotic drinks from all around the world, but Harry had in the end, decided to stay with good old Firewhiskey.**

**Harry walked out of the bar into the hall.**

**He walked into the kitchen where Draco was reading the _Prophet_ over a cup of coffee and a bowl of oatmeal.**

**Harry made himself some coffee, but he didn't feel like eating.**

**Draco handed him the paper when he was finished with it.**

**The first thing Harry saw when he opened it was Hermione sitting on a Thunderbolt broom with a low cut v-neck shirt and a very short skirt, with an innocent smile on her face.**

**Harry wadded the paper up and flung it back over the table and it landed in Draco's coffee.**

"**Hey!" he yelled.**

"**I'm going for a drive to clear my head" Harry said.**

**Harry grabbed his keys and jacket off the hook by the door and walked outside to his Crossfire.**

**He got in and put the top down, he stuck the keys in the ignition and started the car.**

**He didn't know where he was driving but he drove around for fifteen minutes, when he finally stopped he was in front of a stuffed animal store, with a small smile he parked the car and walked in.**

**Harry found the biggest stuffed bear he could carry and heaved it to the register.**

**The young woman working there looked at the price tag, "50 pounds please" she said, Harry paid the money and walked out to the car.**

**Then he drove to the jewelry store and bought Hermione a set of diamond earrings to match her necklace.**

**Then he got back in the car and drove home.**

**Harry put the jewelry box in the bear's hands and rang the doorbell.**

**Hermione opened the front door to see a big stuffed bear standing in her doorway.**

**Hermione was confused for a moment, until the bear started talking.**

"**Mrs. Hermione Potter? I was asked to give this to you!" the bear said.**

**It handed Hermione a black velvet box and she opened it to find the most beautiful earrings she had ever seen.**

**There was a note with them,**

**Hermione, if you forgive me, open the back door**

**Hermione discarded the note, set the earrings on the coffee table, and ran to the back door.**

**She opened it to find Harry standing there, his breath smelled heavily of coffee and alcohol but she didn't care, she threw herself into his arms and he kissed her.**

**When he pulled away, she waved her hand in front of her nose jokingly.**

"**Your breath stinks, here," she pulled out her wand, "_Mintasious_" A green liquid shot out of her wand into his mouth and he swished it around for a minute before spitting it out on the lawn.**

"**Thanks" he said.**

"**Look, I'm sorry" they both said at the same time.**

"**No… I'm sorry, I should have listened to what you had to say last night" Hermione said.**

**Harry stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head gently.**

"**I've been a prat, I promise, no more staying out late" He said.**

**Hermione kissed him again before dragging him up to their bedroom.**

"**You haven't made love to me in a while, let's start there" she said.**

**I am so sorry it took me so long to update! I've been writing I just haven't found the time to post the story.**

**I just started school and Felecia really wants to get this wedding planned!**

**I finished moving in and Felecia's walking again so we're doing okay for the moment.**

**I hope you like this chapter! It's sort of short but I was in a hurry!**

**Ok sorry, gotta go!**

**Bye!**


	14. Something Wicked This Way Comes

**Chapter 14: Something Wicked This Way Comes**

**Holly was embarrassed by the amount of food Mark was putting away at the breakfast table,** **not so much from the fact that he was eating so much but from what it implied. Holly knew that if her strange gait didn't tip off the people around them, then Mark's appetite most definitely did. She wasn't embarrassed at the thought that the world knew that she and Mark were together. If anything, she was more inclined to shout that fact from the rooftops rather than deny it. However, it made her blush to think that other people knew that she and Mark had been engaged in some very private activities the night before. **

"**Will you stop eating so much?" Holly hissed in his ear.**

**Mark shook his head quickly, stuffing a piece of chicken in his mouth.**

"**Mark, people are staring at us!" she whined.**

"**Holly! I don't care! I'm hungry!" he said, he grabbed her hand under the table, calming her down a little.**

"**Let's just sneak into the kitchen and eat, if you love me, you'll stop embarrassing me!" she said.**

**He looked at her for a minute, then put his fork down, "All right, I've had enough anyway" he said.**

**They stood up and walked out of the great hall, hand-in-hand, trying to think of a good way to spend their day.**

"**Honey can you get the door?" Hermione called from the kitchen.**

"**Sure!" Harry called back; he folded his paper and put it on the big oak coffee table.**

**He got off the couch and strode to the front door.**

**He threw open the door and Bellatrix fell into him.**

"**Hey, nice to see you too" he said awkwardly.**

"**HARRY! I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO RON!" she said frantically, "IT'S A… IT'S A… Cissy, how are you doing today? Fine day isn't it! Oh, but where is little Draco? Ah there's my favorite nephew!"**

**Harry shook her a little too hard, "Bellatrix! What the hell are you talking about? What happened to Ron?"**

**She babbled something unrecognizable and then, "Hello Lucius! Little Draco here has grown since I last saw him! My! Are those new robes, you look dashing Lucius… RON! HE… HE… BECKY!... Draco? Would you like to go somewhere with Auth Bella?"**

"**HERMIONE! SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH BELLATRIX! I THINK SHE'S UNDER THE IMPIRIUS CURSE!" Harry yelled.**

**Hermione rushed in, her hands covered in flour from the pie she had been making.**

"**You're the curse expert! Do something!" she said.**

**Harry laid Bellatrix down on the couch and pulled out his wand.**

"**EVIL!... RON… BECKY!... NOT GOOD… EVIL…!" Bella screamed out.**

"**_Desconis!" _Harry yelled over her shrieking and she collapsed back on the couch.**

"**Ok, I take it Ron did something to Rebecca" Harry said.**

"**Why don't you go over there and see what happened" Hermione said.**

**Harry nodded and grabbed his coat off the hook by the door.**

**He apparated to Bellatrix's house, or what was left of it anyway.**

"**No… I don't want to… please don't make me" Ron whimpered into the dark.**

"_**You will do as I say you fool… destroy Harry Potter!"**_

"**No!... Harry… like a brother… can't hurt him… don't make me hurt him"**

"_**YES! THE TIME HAS COME! DESTROY HIM!"**_

**Harry kicked the door to the flaming house in.**

"**BECKY!" He yelled.**

**Harry heard a faint hissing sound and figured it was gas lines.**

"**BECKY?" He yelled again, that hissing sound was getting louder.**

**Harry made his way to Rebecca's room, avoiding burning wood as it fell.**

"**REBECCA!" Harry screamed.**

**He kicked the door to her bedroom in.**

**Harry was somewhat confused at the sight that met him.**

**It seemed as if the fire had originated in this room, everything was on fire, every inch of the room.**

**Except… for a small circle in the middle of the floor where Rebecca Lestrange was standing with her back to Harry.**

"**Becky? It's me, Uncle Harry, I'm gonna help you now, ok?" Harry said softly, but loud enough to be heard over the roaring flames.**

**Becky turned around, she didn't look at all scared, she was calm, and almost satisfied it looked like.**

"**See what I did Uncle Harry?" she said, her voice sounded a little like a hiss, and that's when Harry realized that the hissing sound had been Becky speaking in Parstletongue.**

"**Look!" she said, and a giant snake slithered out of the closet and coiled itself near her feet.**

**Harry took a step forward, but her eyes flashed red and the flames grew higher.**

"**Becky? What the hell is going on here?" Harry asked shakily.**

**She waggled her finger at him toyingly, "No dirty words Uncle Harry" she snapped her fingers and Harry was flung backwards out of the room.**

**He collided with a picture on the wall and both he and the picture clattered to the ground.**

"**What is she?" Harry questioned aloud.**

**He tried to re-enter the room but the door swung shut.**

**He tried to open it, for it was unusually cold.**

**No luck, it wouldn't budge, it wasn't locked, but it wouldn't budge.**

**Harry could hear Becky giggling from inside the room.**

**He raised his foot and tried to kick the door in.**

**His leg slammed into the door but it did nothing but make him lose his balance and fall.**

**Harry jogged to the back of the hallway, putting out fires as he went.**

**He lowered his head, stuck his shoulder out, and charged.**

**Hermione was busy dabbing Bellatrix's head with a damp cloth when she woke up.**

"**How do you feel?" Hermione asked.**

"**Horrible, I knew something was wrong with Becky when she was born, but she's been normal for the past 4 years so I thought she was" Bellatrix said quietly. **

"**What's wrong with Becky?" Hermione asked gently.**

**Bellatrix tried to get up but Hermione pushed her back down.**

"**What's wrong with Becky?" Hermione asked a little more sternly this time.**

**Bellatrix was quiet for a minute but then fessed up at a look from Hermione.**

"**All right all right… I'll tell you the whole story"**

**Flashback**

**Bellatrix checked the cookies that were in the oven.**

"**They're almost done Becky!" She called to her now five-year-old daughter.**

"**Ok mama!" Becky called back.**

**Bellatrix walked into the living room where Becky was sitting at the coffee table, drawing.**

"**Look Mama!" Becky held up a picture, one Bellatrix never wanted to see again in her life.**

"**Rebecca Anne Lestrange, where did you see that?" Bellatrix asked.**

"**I sawed it in a dreamy mama!" Becky said, still holding up the picture.**

"**Do not draw another one of these, and we'll talk about the dream later" Bellatrix said, snatching the picture from her daughter.**

**Bellatrix lit a fire in the grate with her wand and threw the picture in.**

**She watched, satisfied, as the Dark Mark burned and shriveled away.**

**Bellatrix felt her left arm where her own Dark mark was branded, with a shiver.**

**Did this mean something? No, it didn't, it couldn't. Could it?**

**Bellatrix walked back into the living room.**

"**Ok Becky, why don't you tell me about your dream?" Bellatrix asked.**

"**Why don't I? Because I don't have to" Becky snarled.**

**Bellatrix was taken aback, Becky had never spoken to her this way.**

"**Now… see here young lady…" she started, but Becky held up a hand and Bellatrix's voice disappeared.**

"**Give me your wand" Becky said.**

**Bellatrix shook her head wildly.**

**Becky held out her hand and Bellatrix's wand zoomed into her outstretched palm.**

**Becky stood up and strode calmly into her room.**

**Soon Bellatrix followed.**

**Becky was in her bedroom standing over her cauldron.**

**Suddenly her hand flew above her head, and she had a knife.**

**Bellatrix would have screamed if she had her voice.**

**Becky deftly brought the knife down on her arm, Bellatrix was expecting a scream, but none came.**

**As Becky let her blood, seep into the cauldron Bellatrix rushed over to her and turned her around.**

**Blood stained Becky's robes and arm and her eyes were rolled into the back of her head.**

**Suddenly Bella's voice came back.**

"**BECKY!" She cried, tears rolling down he pale face, "BECKY! HONEY! ARE YOU ALL RIGHT!"**

**Suddenly, Becky's eyes flashed and flames erupted from the cauldron behind her.**

**Then she opened her mouth and drew a deep breath.**

**Then she spoke… in deep, rattling, hissing sounds that Bellatrix could not understand, but she recognized it as Parstletongue.**

"**BECKY!" Bellatrix screamed when the girl drew Bellatrix's wand from inside her robes.**

**She was even further shocked when a huge snake began slithering out of the brim of the cauldron.**

**Becky raised her mother's wand, and in a voice that was not her own, said, "_Imperio_"**

**The flames were rising out of the cauldron and spread to the curtains, then the curtains molted and the fire spread to the wooden roof.**

**Beams and small planks began to fall, but Bellatrix couldn't move.**

**A voice in her head cried, "Leave this place" and Bellatrix obeyed.**

**The small consciousness in the back of her head knew she was under the imperius curse, and she had to warn someone.**

"**Harry" the voice in her head hissed, and Bellatrix obeyed.**

**End of Flashback**

**As Bellatrix finished her story, Hermione gasped.**

"**Our little Becky did that?" she asked, disbelievingly.**

**Bellatrix nodded sadly and leaned into Hermione's arms, tears streaming down her face.**

"**Something's w-w-wrong Hermione, that w-w-wasn't m-my l-little B-Be-Becky" she sobbed into Hermione's shirt.**

**Harry slammed into the door, to no avail, the impact flung him back again.**

**He knew that if Becky kept that door closed long, she would suffocate in all the smoke.**

"**BECKY! PLEASE LET ME IN!" Harry screamed through the door, he could hear small coughs coming through the door.**

"**I can't!" she wailed, "I can't open it!"**

**Harry backed up from the door and raised his wand, whatever spirit had possessed her and shut that door was gone for the moment and no longer holding it closed.**

"**_INPENDIMETA!_" He screamed, the door splintered open and Harry walked in, wand still out.**

**Harry looked around the room, everything was still in flames, and that snake was still coiled around Becky's feet.**

"**_Aguamenti!_" Harry yelled, water sprayed out of his wand, but the flames just rose higher.**

"**_Aguamenti, Aguamenti, Aguamenti, _DAMN IT!_ AGUAMENTI!_" Water was raining from Harry's wand but still nothing was happening.**

**Becky was screaming in Parstletongue, it almost seemed as if she was controlling the flames, and commanding them as to what to do.**

"**BECKY! STOP!" Harry yelled as flames licked the hems of his robes.**

"**_DESTROY HIM YOU FOOL!_" Becky hissed in the voice that had haunted Harry's nightmares for the last month.**

**Harry stopped shooting out spells, he was shocked.**

"**Becky? What did you just say?" Harry asked shakily, advancing carefully.**

"**_MUST DESTROY HARRY POTTER!_" she screamed in Parstletongue, and the snake that was coiled around her raised it's head and began to unwind itself from her feet.**

**It opened it's mouth and slithered fluently through the flames straight towards Harry.**

**It reached Harry and reared up to about three feet above him.**

**Harry stumbled backward and almost tripped over a toy Becky had left out.**

"**_INCENDIO! FINITE INCANTANTUM! RICTUSEMPRA! SECTUSEMPRA! AVADA KEDAVRA!_" Harry screamed out curses but the snake kept coming.**

"**BECKY! CALL IT OFF!" Harry yelled loudly.**

"**_Why would I do that?_" she hissed demonically.**

**Then the air grew cold, Becky was cackling loudly, and the snake stopped advancing.**

**The fire died down quickly and the lights flickered out.**

"**Oh no" Harry said, "not here, not now, please, no!"**

"**My dad brought my mom here on their first date after they made love for the first time" Mark said quietly, rubbing Holly's hand affectionately.**

**They were sitting somewhere near the top of _Romancers Peak_ on their first actual "date"**

**Mark had his legs hanging over an outcropping and Holly had her head in his lap.**

**Mark ran his hand through her beautiful chocolaty hair and admired her beautiful eyes.**

**Holly's eyes changed colors according to the clothes she was wearing.**

**She was wearing a light yellow halter-top and her eyes were a light shade of green at the moment.**

"**You have amazing eyes" Mark whispered in her ear, and he was rewarded with a light kiss on the cheek.**

"**Thanks" she whispered.**

**Mark kissed the tip of her nose and then brushed her bangs off her forehead.**

"**So what are we doing tonight?" she asked.**

**Mark thought about it for a minute, where could they have privacy? Even in a castle as big as Hogwarts, privacy was hard to find.**

"**Meet me in the room of requirement at about 9:00 tonight" he said after a minute.**

**She nodded and then the stood up.**

**Mark put his arm around Holly's shoulder and pulled her close.**

"**The view is beautiful from up here" she said, looking out over the rolling green hills of the Scottish landscape.**

"**Not as beautiful as you" he said.**

**Holly giggled, "You're such a flirt" she said.**

"**Am not" Mark said with mock indignation.**

"**We'd better go, the sun's about to set" Holly said, and Mark silently agreed.**

**They made their way carefully over the rocky mountain, Mark stopped every few seconds to help Holly down, he didn't know what he would do if she fell.**

**When they got back to the castle, they split up, much to Mark's disappointment.**

**He went into the great hall and sat at the Gryffindor table.**

**He pulled some parchment, a quill, and a bottle of ink out of his bag and began to write.**

**When he was finished writing the letter he jogged up to the owlery.**

**When he reached the large circular room, he was careful not to step in the many droppings and bones that were scattered over the floor.**

**He walked over to Ares' perch and stroked his beautiful screech owl's feathers affectionately.**

"**Here boy" he said, pulling out a treat from his bag.**

**Ares gulped down the treat and then clicked his beak impatiently.**

"**No more for now boy," Mark said, "but I need you to take this to mom and dad for me"**

**Ares stuck out his leg professionally and allowed Mark to tie the letter to his leg.**

"**Good boy," Mark said, patting his head, "you'll get another treat when you get back"**

**Ares spread his wings and took off at full speed through the owlery window.**

**Mark stood at the window of the tower and watched until his owl was a black speck flying into the increasingly darkening night.**

**After Ares had completely disappeared, Mark trotted back down the stairs.**

**He just walked for a while, not really sure of where he was going.**

**Memories kept floating through his head and he was in a daze as he walked through the deserted corridors of the castle.**

**Mark had always marveled at how big the castle was, but it seemed bigger now, perhaps because the halls weren't crowded with students.**

**All the students were in their respective common rooms for the night, the workweek started again tomorrow, and everyone wanted to rest.**

**Mark passed Moaning Myrtle's bathroom on the second floor and remembered the stories his dad had told him when he was younger, about the Chamber Of Secrets.**

**Mark didn't know how he could ever compare to his father, but he didn't care any more.**

**He was going to be his own person, and his dad would respect that.**

**Mark didn't even notice when he walked through the fat friar, who was out for a little snack.**

"**Sorry" he mumbled when the ghost said something.**

**Mark passed a window, and looked out over the lake, and he saw the rock where he and Holly had sat together so many years ago.**

**Love, love had seemed so trivial then, back in first year, back when they didn't have a care in the world.**

**Mark knew he was in love with Holly, he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, he knew he wanted to be the father of her children eventually, settle down and have a family.**

**Eventually Mark found himself sitting at a desk in the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom.**

**Was he even going to come back next year? It seemed so trivial, he knew what he needed to know.**

**Holly had made sure he knew every word of information that was held in the library of Hogwarts.**

**He knew Lily would want to come back, and Holly too, most likely.**

**But he was far ahead of his class, he knew more than the teachers sometimes, which made them a little angry.**

**He knew he had to ask Holly to marry him, that wouldn't influence her choice to return to Hogwarts, but he wanted to be married to her.**

**If Holly wanted to come back next year, then Mark would follow, gladly.**

**And when they graduated, he could marry her, play professional Quidditch with the NQL, and start a family with her.**

**At a quarter until nine, Mark walked up to the seventh floor, where Holly was already waiting outside the room of requirement.**

"**Hey" she said, standing up from where she had been sitting.**

**She brushed off her jeans and adjusted her shirt.**

**Mark followed every move she made with amazement.**

**She was being sexy without even trying.**

"**You're amazing" he said, stifling a moan.**

"**And I'll say it again, you are a flirt Mark Potter" she said, giggling slightly.**

"**Because I'm in love" Mark whispered, nuzzling he neck.**

"**Ohh… Come on Mark, let's go" she said impatiently. **

**Yay! A Cliffy! **

**Ok first off, sorry I have not updated in a while.**

**Before I get into the author's note though, I am doing reviewer responses!**

**Here Goes:**

**InuYasha0978: My advice is, just be yourself man, But I'll tell you how I got Felecia.**

**We had talked a few times, but we barely knew each other.**

**I just asked her if I could talk to her in private, she said ok and we walked out of earshot from anyone else and here is the conversation (what I can remember of it, that was like 5 years ago)**

**Felecia: Ok, what did you want to talk about?**

**Me: Well I'm having girl problems, and you're the only girl I'm on speaking terms with**

**Felecia: Ok**

**Me: There is this girl really like, and I barely know her, I like her a lot but I don't know how to talk to her, I was hoping since you're a girl you'd have some advice, should I just tell her? Should I buy her flowers?**

**Felecia: No with the flowers, just tell her you like her, girls like honesty.**

**Me: ok thanks.**

**She started to walk off and I grabbed her arm, Me: Felecia, I really like you**

**Ok I know that sounds hard, and it may be hard to do, it might not even work for you, but it worked for me, and we dated for five years and now we're engaged.**

**Give that a try! And thanks for saying my story is cool!**

**Savetheplanet: Thanks, you people seem to be reviewing more about my life than my story, oh well, thanks!**

**Firefarieyofusa: I remember you, you reviewed like a hundred times on my first story, thanks for liking this one!**

**Sandyspark: Planning is almost finished, and don't worry! I can't forget about you guys! You're too awesome to forget about! I love all my readers. Ok I answered your questions, thanks for your congrats and sorry if my marriage gets a _tiny_ bit in the way of my story**

**Fairy-GYAKUTENNO-MEGAMI: Thanks, and I don't know who the hell would want to know that, thanks for the congrats.**

**Michelle Moonshine: yes marriage is like that, (I hope mine's not!) and yes, Harry was just being Harry.**

**I can't use your idea though; sorry it will interfere with later chapters.**

**And I can't finish the love making scene, sorry.**

**I may use your idea in my marriage though! Thanks!**

**Felecia is actually healed all the way now, we just have to go to the doctor's once more to make sure she's ok.**

**As for the Mark and Holly thing, you didn't think I wouldn't set a basis for another story did you?**

**And thank you for saying I'm amazing, the only person who has ever said that is my Fiancé.**

**pikeman900: Thanks**

**StarAngel613: Holly, Holly, Holly, my star reader.**

**It's a good thing you love the character I made for you, I wouldn't want my favorite reader to stop reading because she hates herself (ok that was weird)**

**And Holly, this is the least of it, 'm going to write a whole new story about Mark and Holly as adults when I'm finished with this trilogy, don't worry you'll be in the next story too!**

**Thank you for giving me your description sounds like you have sexy eyes (OW! STOP HITTING ME FELECIA!)**

**Actually, they give the story a perfect effect in my opinion.**

**Yes, it is weird that Victor slept with Nicolina, I wanted to add a creepy effect, and if anyone is wondering, I based her off of Marishka and Aleera on Van Helsing (without being a crybaby)**

**Thank you for reviewing!**

**Ok, review responses are over and I can get to the authors note.**

**Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews you guys give, I'm very thankful.**

**I'm sorry I take so long, I can update sooner now because Felecia is better and she is doing the rest of the planning for the wedding.**

**The only thing left that I have to help with is selecting the bedding for the honeymoon.**

**WE'RE GOING TO ROME FOR OUR HONEYMOON!**

**That was Felecia's Idea, after reading my story, we're going to the same hotel Harry and Hermione stayed at.**

**(Yes it's a real hotel, I looked it up in the encyclopedia) **

**This chapter was supposed to be creepy, so please tell me it's creepy!**

**I can not wait to have sex with her! (Sorry, getting carried away here)**

**Ok anyway, thanks to you all.**

**We're getting married in two weeks, then we're going to be gone on our honeymoon for a week, I'll try to write a little when we're not 'doing things' but I can't make any promises.**

**Ok see you guys later, wish me luck, I've never had sex before and I'm hoping I'll be good! (little comedy there, can't resist)**


	15. Through The Flames

**Chapter 15: Through The Flames**

**(A/N: Ok last chapter! I'm so sad!)**

"**Oh no" Harry said, "not here, not now, please, no!"**

**Becky's laughs became lower and lower, as Harry's ears were filled with screams, screams from his mother.**

**Then came Dumbledore's last words, and the morning he had woken up to find Hermione gone.**

"**No… please, not now" Harry muttered.**

"**_Stand aside silly girl!"_**

"_**I trusted you"**_

"_**HERMIONE!"**_

"**Not here… not now"**

"_**Harry, I'm going to have to place you under arrest"**_

"_**LILY! IT'S HIM! TAKE HARRY AND RUN!"**_

"_**That's right Harry, I'm tired of you taking the spotlight so I decided to get some myself"**_

"**BECKY! RUN NOW!" Harry yelled, looking around.**

**She just laughed, "They won't hurt me, I'm their leader, my daddy gave them to me for a present" **

**Harry was confused, Voldemort was communicating with her? How?**

"**What do you mean Becky?" Harry coughed through the smoke, "You know your daddy is dead" **

**Becky shook her head, "No he's not, he's in here" she said, pointing to her head.**

**Harry still didn't understand, "Becky, is your daddy telling you to do these things?" He asked.**

**She nodded remorsefully, and Harry saw her eyes flash back to their normal blue for just a moment.**

"**What were you doing with the cauldron Becky?" Harry asked.**

"**My daddy said that if I put some blood in here then he would come out of it, and he showed me what to do" she said.**

**Voldemort was trying to come back to life, Harry had gotten it all wrong, Becky's purpose was not to be an heir, it was to make sure Voldemort could live again after his death, he was using this innocent little girl, and communicating with her somehow, possibly even controlling her.**

"**Becky! Come here now, I'll take you to your mommy" Harry said, holding out his hand.**

**She shook her head, "No, my daddy doesn't like mommy, if I go to mommy he might make me hurt her"**

**Harry was again marveled at how smart this five year old girl was.**

"**Becky, I promise, I won't let him hurt your mommy!" Harry said, getting impatient.**

**She shook her head violently and the frozen flames grew higher.**

**Then the window behind Becky shattered, and Harry could see the familiar black cloak of a Dementor.**

"**Becky! NOW!" Harry shouted a little louder than he intended.**

**Becky plopped down on the ground and buried her face in her knees, which she tucked into her chest.**

"**Go away! Leave us alone!" she whined.**

"**Us?" Harry said.**

"**Yes, me and Nagini just want to be left alone!" she yelled into her knees.**

**Two Dementors glided through the window and stopped near Becky, as if guarding her from Harry.**

"**GET AWAY FROM HER!" Harry roared.**

**The two monsters remained motionless.**

**Harry heard a loud shriek and the rustling of a cloak outside the window, and it dawned on him.**

"**I see my bodyguards were correct in wanting to proceed me" Ron said, stepping through the broken window.**

"**GET AWAY FROM HER!" Harry repeated, his wand now pointing at Ron.**

**Ron placed his hand on Becky's head and she flinched.**

"**I finally have the honor of meeting my master's heir, it is my duty to see that her rise to power in uninterrupted" He said.**

"**RON! I MEAN IT!" Harry yelled.**

**Ron shook his head, "If you would be so kind as to escort the young lady back to the dragon please" he said to the closest Dementor.**

**They grabbed Becky's arms and pulled her, kicking and screaming, out of the house.**

**Harry took a step forward but Ron drew his wand.**

"**Relishio" he muttered and the flames vanished.**

"**Ron" Harry said warningly.**

"**You don't pose a threat to me anymore Harry, I'm not intimidated by you, you could be dead at any time that I wished you so"**

**Then Ron's face paled,**

"**H-H-Harry… I don't h-have m-much time… I'm… fighting his c-control, h…help me it's h-him, he's con-controlling me" Ron stuttered.**

"**What?" Harry asked.**

"**I said, I no longer fear you Potter" Ron said, raising his wand level with Harry's heart.**

**Immediatley Harry's mind started working, how far did Voldemort's power extend, even though he was dead?**

**He was dead, yet he was controlling Ron and Becky.**

"**Morning Beautiful" Mark said as Holly's eyes fluttered open.**

"**Morning" she said, sitting up and stretching.**

**Mark stared lovingly as the blankets fell off her chest when she sat up.**

"**What?" she said, turning to look at him.**

"**You're just so bloody beautiful" he said hoarsely.**

**She just laughed and he kissed her nose gently.**

"**Holly, I want you to get something out of the pocket in my robes, it's the left one"**

**Holly looked around for his robes and reached into the pocket, Mark watched anxiously as she extracted her hand, box in hand.**

"**Mark Potter, what did you get me and how much did it cost?" she asked.**

"**Cost doesn't matter when it comes to you, just open the box" Mark said, grinning anxiously.**

**She slowly opened the box and gasped.**

"**OH… MY… GOD…" She shrieked, pulling out the ring.**

"**It's GORGEOUS!" She squealed.**

**The ring was made of pure silver, with real diamonds encrusted all around the band, and on the inside was the inscription, _you're my everything_.**

**Holly flew into Mark's arms and started attacking his neck and lips with her own.**

**When she stopped kissing him and freaking out Mark finally spoke.**

"**Well?" he asked.**

"**What?" she whispered in a voice that was barely audible.**

"**Holly, I love you, and I've come to the conclusion that you are the only person I want to spend the rest of my life with, you _are_ my everything and I love you more than life, Holly? Will you be my wife once we graduate?"**

"**Mark…" she began, "that was the sappiest thing I have ever heard in my life"**

"**What?" he asked, highly disappointed, he had rehearsed that for two hours after she had fallen asleep last night.**

"**Oh so sappy, but I'm a girl, it was sweet and romantic, I adored it" she said, giggling.**

"**Well? You haven't answered my question" Mark said excitedly.**

**Holly went into a state of mock thought for a moment.**

"**Hmm… Of COURSE I'll marry you!" Holly said.**

**(A/N: That was the engagement ring and proposal I gave to Felecia, and her response, I always add bits of personal things to my stories, as most of you can already most likely tell)**

**Becky didn't like the effect the Dementors were having on her, they were supposed to be hers, they should let her go when she told them to.**

"**LET ME GO!" She screamed, she was angry.**

**She felt like her daddy had abandoned her, usually when she got into some kind of trouble, he was there to tell her what to do.**

**However, right now, that part of her head was unusually silent.**

**Becky had the unusual ability to read fearful thoughts from peoples minds, and Uncle Harry's thoughts kept running through her head, scaring her slightly.**

" _**I get it now, her purpose isn't to be an heir, it's to be controlled by a dead Voldemort so she can bring him back to life, he is using an innocent little girl"**_

**Becky couldn't understand why he would want to use her as Harry had put it, and she didn't understand who this new man who commanded the Dementors was, or what he wanted with her.**

**Was her sole purpose in life to be a regenerative vessel? (A/N: Yes these are the thoughts of a five year old girl, but remember she is _extremely _smart, maybe even as smart as Hermione)**

"**NO! IT CAN'T BE!" She screamed, she closed her eyes tightly trying to block out these thoughts, and a flash of silver emitted from her body, she didn't understand at the moment, all she knew was that the Dementors holding her had disintegrated upon contact with the light.**

**She didn't know what had happened but she didn't care, she ran back to the house, she had to find Harry.**

**When she entered the house and ran back to her bedroom, she found Harry and Ron standing in the pile of ashes that were once her bedroom, and each had their wands pointed at the other's heart.**

"**Becky! Stay back!" Harry shouted, waving his hand.**

**Suddenly Ron spoke, "Nice knowing you Harry, but this is it, you've annoyed me enough," He said, **

"**_AVADA KEDAVRA!_" he roared.**

**As the jet of green light emitted from the wand, time slowed down, and before Becky knew what she was doing, she flung herself in front of the curse.**

**The time flow resumed it's normal pace when the curse collided with Becky.**

**She screamed, Harry screamed, and Ron shrieked.**

"**NO!" Ron screamed.**

"**BECKY!" Harry screamed.**

**The little girl fell to her knees, "Uncle Harry, I don't feel so good" she said, before falling over.**

"**BECKY!" Harry screamed as Bella's baby fell to the floor with a thud.**

**She had sacrificed herself to save Harry, they had been close and Harry now felt an impending twinge of pain.**

**Harry's face contorted with rage.**

"**YOU KILLED HER!" He roared, "HOW MANY INNCOENT PEOPLE WILL YOU KILL BEFORE YOU'RE SATISFIED RON? HUH? YOU HAPPY NOW?" **

**Ron didn't move, or speak, he was still in shock over what he had done.**

**No-one moved or spoke for several minutes, until a little, sputtering cough sounded from the carpet.**

**Harry looked down, Becky was still breathing.**

"**How?" he wondered aloud.**

**Harry knelt down and turned her over slowly.**

"**Becky?" he whispered, tears forming in his eyes as he smiled at her.**

"**I'm ok Uncle Harry" she said weakly.**

**She extracted herself from Harry's arms and stood up.**

"**But he won't be for long" she said, pointing at Ron.**

**Ron's eyes widened, as if he knew what she was capable of.**

"**Becky? What are you talking about?" Harry asked, looking up at Ron.**

"**He's friends with my daddy, and he's going to pay" she said.**

**Ron backed away slowly.**

"**Now… Rebecca… think sensibly… I…I…" He stuttered.**

**However, Becky paid no heed to his stutters, she raised her hands and lightning shot out of her fingertips.**

**Harry hadn't seen that since Voldemort had invaded Hermione's house 17 years ago, but this was stronger.**

**The blue bolts collided with Ron with such a force that they raised him up off the floor.**

**Becky sent a screaming Ron flying across the room, to collide with what was left of the walls.**

**The bolts of electricity stopped flowing from Becky's fingers and Ron dropped to the floor.**

**However, he wasn't on the floor for long, because she flashed her eyes and he flew across the room, slamming into the broken glass of the window and flying out to land in the yard.**

**Becky pulled him back in and let the electricity flow from her fingers once more, and this was at a higher level even than the first time.**

**The bolts were a mix of black, blue, and yellow, all flowing into Ron's continuously weakening body.**

**Harry had to guess that this electricity was over 400,000 volts, and he couldn't understand how Becky or Ron were holding out this long.**

**Wandless magic was a huge energy drainer, Harry preferred not to use it as much as he could help it.**

**With a final shudder and scream, Ron's body went limp, and Becky stopped.**

**The little girl staggered backwards into Harry's arms, where she passed out on the spot.**

**Harry didn't know what to do about Ron's body, he supposed that would be up to the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes.**

**He decided to take Becky home, she seemed to be all right, just drained.**

**Harry picked her up and dissapparated with a loud _CRACK!_**

**Over the next few months Becky and Bellatrix returned to normal, now that Ron's reign was over, Harry was sure that most of the danger the wizarding world had been in was over too.**

**Harry's department rounded up and executed the last of the Death Eaters, it seemed extreme to kill them all, but Harry didn't want to take the chance of Voldemort returning and the Death Eaters returning to him.**

**Mark and Holly graduated Hogwarts at the top of their class and both decided to attend the next year of Hogwarts.**

**The next year, Mark and Holly were made Head Boy and Head Girl, much to Hermione's delight, and then they graduated seventh year at the top of their class.**

**Straight out of Hogwarts, a scout drafted Mark onto Puddlemere United; there he performed so well that he was chosen to be the national seeker in the World Cup.**

**After becoming as rich and famous as his father, Holly moved in with mark and they inhabited a large castle on the outskirts of London.**

**Soon, Holly became pregnant and they had a daughter, Erica.**

**Mark, even though he had to travel a lot, was home so much it seemed like he had an ordinary job, he always made time for his family.**

**Whenever Holly and Mark needed time alone, Harry and Hermione were overjoyed to stay with their granddaughter. **

**Hermione soon retired from the modeling business and Harry from his job.**

**But there was still one more step in Mark and Holly's relationship…**

**Mark watched as Holly walked down the isle in Hermione's wedding dress, he was surprised she could look so happy; a month ago, her parents had been killed by the last surviving group of Death Eaters.**

**But even now, she was wearing a radiant smile and her eyes were sparkling.**

**Mark was captivated by Holly's stunning beauty as she walked down the isle on Harry's arm.**

**Harry said something to the minister to witch the minister responded and Harry helped Holly up the steps.**

**Mark hardly heard any of the minister's speech, he was too captivated in Holly's eyes.**

**But eventually, he found himself saying, "I do"**

**He heard his mother burst into tears as he kissed Holly with all the passion he could generate.**

"**I love you," he whispered in her ear as he led her down the isle and out of the church to the waiting limo.**

**The End**

**Ok, really short last chapter, sorry.**

**I thought I would give it a sweet ending, and I hope you guys liked it.**

**All though my favorite parts in that chapter were the Harry/Ron/Becky parts, I really worked hard on the**

**Mark/Holly parts too, so please review, but if it wasn't good, don't say it was.**

**BUT HELL IT HAD BETTER BE GOOD!**

**Ok, anyway, I'm sort of sad that this is over, because I had a great time writing it, and I had a great audience.**

**I loved all of the reviews, and I have to say the most important part of a story is it's readers.**

**Most of you were all very good, a few exceptions with people who flamed or asked questions that were a little too personal.**

**You guys gave a bunch of great ideas and I'm sorry I couldn't use them all.**

**I thank you for all of you're compliments, you guys have all been awesome, and it's fun talking to you guys to.**

**I actually feel like I've gotten to know a couple of you (looks pointedly at Holly).**

**Some of you gave short and curt reviews, some of you thought I was experienced enough that you asked me for advice.**

**And some of you gave really long reviews, (looks pointedly at Michelle Moonshine).**

**But no matter the length, you all gave great reviews and I was very happy that you guys liked my story.**

**I really feel loved, (Ok now I sound gay)**

**(You can probably tell by now that I'm a very sentimental person)**

**And I can tell that no matter how good any other story of mine is, this one is going to be my favorite story out of every story I ever write.**

**I'm thinking up Idea's for the next story now, it will mainly focus on Holly and Mark.**

**Ok, anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**And on another sad note, I have decided not to write a third story, I'm sorry but I don't know what else to write, I think the ending as perfect and I used all my idea's.**

**I may write a story about Mark and Holly later, but I will not write a third story in this series.**

**You can kill me if you want, (please don't) but I really am out of idea's.**

**PS: Incase anyone was wondering**

**This story's length is:**

**65 Pages and the first story was 32 pages**

**I want to dedicate this story to: My Fiancé, Felecia, and to Holly, my most faithful reader.**

**Yours truly,**

**Anakin34567, the truly thankful writer**


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